


Steel Heart

by duaba



Category: One Piece
Genre: Canon, F/M, Water 7
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-26
Updated: 2018-04-20
Packaged: 2018-05-16 11:38:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 73
Words: 276,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5827225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/duaba/pseuds/duaba
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tough as nails and a tongue just as sharp, the child of Water 7 will not be taking any crap from anyone. Not Iceburg, not stupid Paulie, and not this group of misfits that think they can conquer the New World on that badly damaged ship, no matter how intriguing she finds the blonde with the funny eyebrows. - Sanji x OC - Violence and Language (with some fluff later on)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The First Employee of Galley-La

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own One Piece. Just this OC and Pygmy.  
> I will be sticking solely to canon so no fillers, no original arcs, and no other OCs. This starts off with Water 7 and I'll leave it up to Oda-sensei to see where it ends.  
> Also this is a cross post from FanFiction.net
> 
> Please leave a comment and let me know how I'm doing :)

_\- 9 years ago - 3 years after the Puffing Tom was built and 9 years until Straw Hats come to Water 7 -_

"So what seems to be the trouble?" 29 year old Iceburg asked coolly as he stuffed his hands into his beige pants pockets. His focus was not on the pudgy, old stationmaster, who had called him over. No, Iceburg's attention was on what was behind Puddy-san. Iceburg's eyes scanned over the Puffing Tom as crowds of waiting passengers stared at him expectantly to solve a problem he had yet to figure out.

"It's like I said," Puddy-san exclaimed, throwing his hands wildly in the air. He was in a frenzy because this delay will cause a snowball effect to the rest of his well-crafted schedule. "It won't start!"

"Tch, obviously…" a high but snarky voice said from the side.

Iceburg perked his ears and looked over at the source. He saw a little girl with a leather aviator helmet that was too large for her head. It covered her light brown hair that stopped right at her shoulders. On top of the helmet sat shiny, metal goggles with leather straps. She wore dark denim overalls with a grey tank top underneath and heavy, leather boots. She had her arms crossed and was leaning against a pillar, with an annoyed look on her sunken face. She didn't look like she had had a decent meal in months and she was dirty all over.

Large pliers were in her hand. She had a white cloth laid out in front of her feet and on the sheet, she had placed small metal figures made of wire . A small piece of cardboard stood next to the cloth and it had "7 bellis" scrawled on it with black marker. The penmanship was horrible.

"Hey, you brat!" Puddy-san shouted as he marched towards her, "I thought I told you that you couldn't sell your junk here. This is a train station, not a flea market!"

"You know what's wrong with it?" Iceburg called out to her, stopping Puddy-san right in his tracks.

She smirked. "No."

Iceburg rolled his eyes and started to turn away from the girl but then she said something that made him pause. "But I have a theory."

He turned back towards her with his eyebrow raised. "Oh?"

The girl scratched her nose. "The steam sounded off when the train first pulled in. The pitch was low. I think there's a blockage in the smokebox. You might want to check the valves."

"Oh my…" Iceburg said as he stared at her with amusement. "You know trains?"

"I know boilers," she replied.

His eyes fell on the metal figures and he squatted in front of her mat. He picked up one of the figures and brought it to his eye level.

"Hey, Iceburg!" Puddy-san protested, "Don't entertain this brat or else she'll be coming by again!"

Iceburg continued to ignore the stationmaster. "Not bad metalwork, kid. You're pretty good with the pliers," he mused as he noticed how intricately the wires were wrapped around each other to create details of muscles and even hair.

"Tch," the girl scoffed, "It puts food on the table. Are you going to buy one or what?"

"No," Iceburg said simply and he put the figure down. He stood back up and pretended not to see the little girl glower at him. He turned to the station master, "I'll take a look and see what is going on."

He headed straight towards the engine room. As he walked he called back towards the girl, "Hey, kid!"

"What?" she growled back.

"I'm not going to buy your toys...but if you're right, I'll give you a job."

There was a second of stunned silence before the girl responded. "What's the job?"

"Doesn't matter if you're wrong," Iceburg replied as he boarded the train with his toolbox in hand.

Thirty minutes later he popped out of the engine room with dirt and grime streaked across his scruffy face. He sauntered back towards an impatient Puddy-san, while holding a large trash bag in one of his hands. He ran a hand over his straggly blue hair, pushing it away from his face and he frowned at the stationmaster.

"There was blockage in the chimney. Apparently, someone has been throwing their trash in there, thinking the steam would just blow it out." His eyes narrowed at the station master, who immediately started to sweat. "That's not just going to stop the train, that's also going to pollute the sea water. This train that I helped built is a mode of transportation and not a garbage chute. It's one thing to call me down to fix a train issue but it's another issue altogether when you call me down to fix something that could be avoided. My time is precious, you know?"

"I'm sorry, sir!" Puddy-san cried, "It won't happen again!"

"It better not," Iceburg said calmly and then he turned towards the girl, who looked at him triumphantly.

"So I was right. What's the job?" she asked bluntly.

"You want to spend your life making toys, kid?" he asked back.

"No," she replied tersely, "Now what's the job?"

"I always need a good set of hands on the docks," he said, "How would you like to learn how to build a ship?"

"Tch," she scoffed. She pulled out another pair of wires and started to shape them with her pliers, "Pass."

Her rude attitude had no effect on Iceburg and he chuckled. "So what is that you want to do?"

"I want to make weapons," she replied without looking up so she didn't notice that her comments made Iceburg tense up, "I want to make weapons for ships."

"Why? To fight Sea Kings?" he asked cautiously.

"Tch. Do I look like I'm four years old?" she retorted.

"No, you look more like you're 7," he replied back.

She paused for a moment in the middle of forming an arm for her figurine. "I guess I'm 7 then," she stated before continuing on with her project.

"Do you not know?" Iceburg teased.

"No, I don't," she said too seriously for it to be a joke. Her eyes were still focused on the wires in her hand so she didn't catch the surprised look that came over Iceburg's face.

"So why do you want to arm ships?" he asked, more gently this time.

She sighed and lowered her hands. She glared at him, annoyed that he was wasting her time with all these questions, "I want to help the people who are defenseless, okay?! Now leave me alone!"

Iceburg was not deterred by this little girl. In fact, he was very intrigued by her. "But wouldn't making weapons give people more of a chance to attack others?"

"If I don't build weapons, others will. So I might as well make something that will help even the odds, don't you think?" she asked.

Iceburg was speechless. The child had too much resolve and determination in her words for this to be just a mere flight of fancy. There was something that was driving her. "Where are your parents?"

"Don't have them."

"You must have otherwise you wouldn't exist," he pointed out.

"I don't have them _now_ ," she said exasperatedly.

"Did they die?"

"I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?'

She clenched her fist around her pliers and wire figure, misshaping it in the process. "I said I don't know!" she screamed at him, "I don't remember, okay?! So stop asking!"

Iceburg pondered her words for a moment. Then, his hand was on top of her helmet and he rubbed her head  with a chuckle. It made her aviator helmet fall off center. "Oh my...What a predicament. You don't know who you are but you know you want to make weapons...And I want to rebuild this town and need sturdy hands to help me build it."

He lifted his hand and grinned down at her, "So what do you say we help each other out?"

She scowled back at him and readjusted her headgear.

"You can't properly arm a ship if you don't know the structure of one," he pointed out.

Suddenly her scowl left her face and her eyes widened. _He's right…_

Iceburg chuckled to himself. She might be a very competent child but she was still a child. He knelt down so they were eye level. "The way I see it, you either stay here and continue selling toys to make ends meet, or you come with me and make a decent living building ships. You'll also have access to the best equipment you can get your hands on."

"Why are you doing this?" Her voice had gone quiet and her expression had softened.

"Because I want to be the mayor," he responded, "And I want to bring out the best of this town."

"Tch," she scoffed back, "You can't be the mayor. You don't even look like one. Don't mayors wear suits and have their hair combed?"

"What do you know about mayors?" he asked, "You don't even know who your own parents are."

"Enough to know you don't look like one," she shot back and she crossed her arms stubbornly, "I've made my way through enough towns to see a couple of them."

Iceburg tilted his head. "So you're not from here?"

"No."

"What's your name?"

"Whatever you want to call me."

"So you don't know?"

"No."

Iceburg's eyes fell on the cardboard sign at his feet. He then looked back up at the girl. "Well, you're in Water 7...You look 7…" He held up the cardboard sign next to her face, "How about I call you Nana?"

"Fine," she said with a shrug. She dropped the wire figure in her hand and stuck out her dirty palms towards Iceburg. "So do I have the job or what?"

He grinned and shook her hand. "Nana of Water 7, you are officially the first employee of the Galley-La Company."

"Whatever."

* * *

_\- 3 years later, 6 years after Puffing Tom was built and 6 years before Straw Hats come to Water 7 -_

_(Iceburg - 32, Nana - 10-ish)_

"Don't be like that," Paulie chided as he looked sternly at the willful child, "A kid should obey their elders."

Mizu Nana raised an eyebrow and folded her arms across her chest. "Well, this kid won't. At least not to you."

Paulie grabbed her by the ear and angrily dragged her towards Iceburg, who was sitting on a large crate, observing their entire conversation. "Iceburg-san! Can you please discipline your apprentice? You need to teach her some manners."

"Ow, ow, ow!" Nana winced as he tugged at her ear. She glared at him and stared defiantly back at the foreman, "Technically, I started in this company before you so I'm your elder."

"What?!" Paulie exclaimed and he dropped his grip on her. He pointed accusingly at her and then looked to Iceburg for support, "Do you hear the mouth on this girl?!"

Iceburg shrugged and picked his nose. "This is what happens when you raise a girl in a dock full of shipwrights. What did you expect?"

Paulie redirected his finger towards the mayor of Water 7. "I expect her to act more like her legal guardian!"

Iceburg laughed. "Like that would ever happen."

"Tch. Talking about manners," Nana scoffed as she rubbed her aching ear, "Instead of wishing me happy birthday, you ask me for money to pay off your gambling debts. What the hell kind of manners is that?!"

"It's not your real birthday," Paulie snarled back, "It's just the day that Iceburg-san was generous enough to legally adopt you and gave you a legit name. Besides, I know you get the same salary as me! A kid shouldn't have that much money."

"And a grown-ass bastard," Nana retorted, "Shouldn't have that little!"

"WATCH YOUR MOUTH!" Paulie snapped.

"Watch your wallet!" Nana seethed, matching the intensity of his glare.

"Enough, enough," Iceburg said from his seat, "You two-"

A loud crashing sound came from a pile of crates behind him. Iceburg got to his feet and coolly walked around to see what was going on. Paulie and Nana hurriedly rushed towards him to see for themselves.

"Oh my..." Iceburg said with a bemused look on his face.

A reddish gold puppy with white markings had backed into a crate and had bumped it so hard that it had sent some of the top crates crashing down to the floor beside him. The puppy's puffy hair was sticking straight out and it was trembling in fear. A tiny, white mouse stood in front of it chattering angrily at it while holding a large hunk of bread. The puppy whimpered and pushed up against the crate even more, frantically trying to get away from the small mouse.

"The dog...is scared of the mouse?" Paulie blinked his eyes to make sure he was seeing it correctly. He roared with laughter at the sight.

Nana pushed Paulie aside, knocking him down to the floor, and casually picked up the puppy by its neck. She held it up so that they were nose to nose. The puppy shivered a little before opening its eyes. Nana's pale green eyes stared into his round brown ones. It blinked. She did too. Then, he stuck his tongue out and licked her nose. She did too. They were both quiet for a moment, both taking each other in.

Suddenly, the puppy was taken away from her and she looked up to see that Paulie was dangling it over her head. "So you like this puppy, huh?" he said with a mischievous grin, "Fine. I'll sell it to you!"

Nana was floored. "But it's not even yours to sell!"

"I'm holding it, aren't I?"

_Thwack!_

Out of nowhere, Nana hit Paulie right in the knee caps with a hammer no bigger than her own fist. His leg gave  out and he sank to the floor with a painful groan.

"What the hell, Nana?!" he shouted as he dropped the puppy. Nana caught it smoothly in her arms. She reached into her pocket and threw some cash at Paulie, who squirmed on the floor and clutched his injured knee.

"For your hospital bill," she said with a cheeky grin.

"Nana…" Iceburg's voice had turned stern and serious. She looked up at him and was surprised to see that he had put the mouse in his shirt pocket. It was still eating his piece of bread. "We do not hit our colleagues."

"But-" Nana started to say but Iceburg raised his eyebrow.

"Nana…?" he tried again.

Nana took a deep breath and turned begrudgingly to Paulie. "Sorry," she mumbled.

Iceburg extended his hand, palms out, toward her, "Now give me your hammer."

"But-" this time her protest was much louder and filled with horror, "But, Icy, I made it myself!"

"Nana…?"

Nana scowled and begrudgingly held out her hammer. She dropped it in Iceburg's hand, who was slightly caught off guard by how heavy it was despite it's tiny size. He kept his face composed as he confiscated it from her. Then his attention turned to the puppy in her arms. "So what are you going to name it?"

Nana looked down at the puppy, "I don't know." She then eyed the mouse in his pocket, "What are you going to name him, Icy?"

"Whale," he said.

Nana wrinkled her nose. "What kind of name is that?!"

"A whale is the largest mammal in the world. I think it's funny to name a small mouse that, don't you?" Iceburg replied.

"Oh," she said and picked up the puppy again. She tilted her head to the side and she bounced him in the air a couple of times to gauge its weight. "You're pretty heavy...but you're still just a puppy which means you're going to get really big…"

She thought long and hard and finally a small grin crossed her face. "Pygmy."

The puppy wagged its tail and its ears perked up.

"Pygmy!" Nana repeated.

"Yip! Yip!" the puppy barked back.

Nana held up the puppy triumphantly over her head and she grinned at Iceburg. "His name is Pygmy."

* * *

_\- 6 years later, 12 years after Puffing Tom was built and a month before Straw Hats come to Water 7 -  
_ _(Iceburg - 38, Nana - 16-ish)_

Nana huffed and crossed her arms indignantly as she sat in front of Iceburg's desk. She had her feet resting on his table and she glowered past them towards Iceburg himself, who was solemnly shuffling some papers. Nana waited impatiently for Iceburg to continue lecturing her. She adjusted the goggles and aviator helmet sitting on top of her long chestnut hair.

She then reached over to pet Pygmy on the head, who was sitting next to her on the floor. Pygmy was eye level to her. It turned out that Nana was right. Pygmy not only turned out to be a big dog but he had grown to the size of a sturdy pony. He even had a small leather saddle strapped to his back.

Nana, in turn, had also grown a lot over the years. She was about 5'8 with her legs slightly longer in proportion to the rest of her body. She wore dark leather pants with pockets and pouches lined up and down her legs. 

She wore a loose white blouse with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows. Her blouse was cinched together by a leather corset. She wore fingerless leather gloves on each hand and dark brown boots that stretched to right below her knees.

On the other side of her leaned a large diagonal peen hammer with it's head the size of her own and the handle as long as her torso. Both the hammer head and the handle were made of a heavy, dark metal. Every now and then she would lovingly reach out to touch it's handle and give it a slow twirl as it rested on it's head.

"Like I said, Nana," Iceburg finally spoke, "This needs to stop happening. We need to do what the customer has paid us to do."

"He paid for a cannon, I gave him a cannon!" Nana retorted.

"You gave him a cannon that won't fire cannonballs," Paulie exclaimed angrily from the chair next to her. He was the one that reported her. Nana just knew it. He was always the first one to discipline her.

Nana's turned and glared at him fiercely. "I gave him a cannon that could _catch_ incoming cannonballs," she corrected, "Isn't that so much better?" Her eyes lit up. "You see, I put in the base of the cannon a magnet that-"

"Nana…?" Iceburg's warning tone made Nana grimace. She slowly sat back in her chair.

"Yes, Icy?" she mumbled.

"Ahem," Iceburg coughed, "Remember how we said you wouldn't call me by your childhood nickname for me when we're in a professional setting?"

"Sorry," she mumbled again, "Yes, Iceburg…"

"SAN! Iceburg-SAN!" Paulie corrected.

"It's okay," Iceburg said with a laugh as he held up a palm to Paulie to show him that he didn't take offense. He  then put his hand down on the table. His face grew serious again and he pushed the paper towards Nana. 

"This is for you. Your punishment."

"Tch," Nana scoffed and she dangled the paper between two fingers, "What are you going to do? Fine me?"

"No, worse," Iceburg said with a wry smile, "You're going on vacation."

Nana reacted as if he had stabbed her. She clutched her gut and looked at him in horror. "What?! For how  long?!"

"A month."

"A MONTH?!" Nana leapt to her feet and slammed her palms down on his table, "You can't do this to me! What about the orders? My workshop?!"

"I'll have someone else cover for you for the month but until then you are not allowed to go into your office or touch any of your tools in there."

Nana was seething. "What the hell? Just because I didn't give some bastard exactly what he wanted?"

"Nana! Language! Act like a lady!" Paulie cried, almost spitting out his cigar.

"He was a customer," Iceburg said, ignoring Nana's foul mouth, "We can only give our customer our opinion  and suggestions. We cannot make the decision for them. That's what being our customer means."

"Then why can't we be the customer?" Nana grumbled.

"That doesn't even make sense!" Paulie shouted exasperatedly.

"You don't make sense," Nana snapped back.

"Woof woof!" Pygmy chimed in.

"Oh my...Tempers," Iceburg said calmly, "Nana, I want you to take this time off to reflect on Galley-La's customer service and your role as our weapons manufacturer. I also want you to take the time off because there's this festival two islands over that's going on in a week and-"

"SO THIS IS ALL BECAUSE YOU WANT A VACATION?!" Paulie and Nana shouted incredulously at him at the same time.


	2. Dock #1

Nana lowered her wrench and took a step back to examine her handiwork. She placed her hand on the cannon and pushed it slightly forward to see its movement. "Hrmmm, still not quite there. Sloppy ass work, if you ask me. Tch, those bastards slacked off while I wasn't around and think I wouldn't notice?!"

She turned her head towards Pygmy, who was sitting by a table covered in tools of all shapes and sizes. "Can you hand me the box wrench?"

Pygmy wagged his tail and sniffed around the table. Finally, he barked and sank his muzzle into the pile of tools. He pulled out the box wrench between his teeth and brought it towards his master. She took it from him and licked his nose. He did the same and she giggled. "Thanks, Pyg."

She squatted back down to one of the cannon wheels and fitted the wrench over the hub. She was about to tighten it when she stopped and looked over the top of the cannon, just in time to see Iceburg and Kalifa walk past the warehouse. Nana glanced over at Pygmy. "Why do you think Icy is here?"

He wagged his tail and tilted his head. She grinned. "Okay, let's go find out!"

He barked in response and then dashed towards the door. She grabbed the horn of his saddle just as he passed by her and she expertly swung her legs over his back. She held tightly to the fur around his neck and he bounded towards the exit. As they passed her workbench, she smoothly grabbed her hammer off of the table.

"Woof! Woof!"

"Iceburg-san!" Kalifa gasped as Pygmy leapt onto Iceburg and knocked him backwards onto the ground. Pygmy barked happily and licked the mayor's face.

Iceburg grunted and looked over past the dog's muzzle. He sighed as his disciple smiled cheekily back at him. "Hey Icy-...er Iceburg," Nana said, her eyes glinting with mischief even through her goggles. She then noticed the mouse in her guardian's pocket and her eyes lit up. "Another one?"

"Ah," he said as he got to his feet and dusted off his pants. He petted it with his index finger, "I just found it. I think I'm going to call it…Tyrannosaurus."

"I hope he won't chew threw my leather like Elephant did," Nana sighed. She gave Pygmy some light pats against his neck to help soothe him. He had gotten over his fear of mice but he still needed some comforting when one was around.

Loud boisterous laughter caught Nana's attention. Both her and Pygmy turned towards the sound. Past the low wooden fence, bordering between her warehouse and Dock #1, stood a group of pirates. They were right behind Paulie, who was busy prepping a log for cutting and not really giving the audience behind him much of his attention.

The leader of the group held a long sword and wore a hat with a gold crescent emblem at the front. It gave him the look of horns. When he laughed, he showed fangs in his teeth. "I've decided not to pay. Not even a single Berry," he crowed as he waved his sword threateningly at the foreman.

"Sir, it would not be wise," Paulie warned while clenching his cigar between his teeth, "To tease craftsmen like that."

"It seems that they are refusing to pay," Kalifa sighed. She held up her clipboard to show Iceburg and Nana the wanted poster of the pirate captain, "That's sexual harassment."

Iceburg's face was solemn and he nodded in agreement. "Oh my...It's sexual harassment."

Nana tugged gently at Pygmy's fur and her grin turned devilish. "I have a sudden feeling I'm about to get really clumsy."

"Nana-" Iceburg started to say but Pygmy interrupted him with a sharp bark.

"Woof!" The large animal soared over the fence with his owner on his back and made his way towards the pirate group, who were too busy laughing to notice the incoming duo.

_Thwack!_

With a swing of her hammer, Nana sent the leader flying across the dock as Pygmy ran past the group. "Sorry," she called back to them with a smirk on her face, "Fingers slipped."

"You bitch!" one of the pirates yelled at her, "Watch carefully where you're going!"

_Shiiiing!_

The foremen, Kaku, sailed down from his spot high up in the scaffolding and sliced his long saw down the pirates back. "Oh, pardon me," he said half-heartedly, "Didn't see you there."

"Y-y-you bastards! Are you picking a fight?!" the pirates shouted at him, "Who do you think we are?!"

Pygmy made a quick u-turn and Nana jumped off his back as he did so. She saw that Peeply Lulu and Rob Lucci were approaching the pirates but that didn't deter her. _If there's going to be a fight, it better include me!_ she thought as she ran with her hammer in hand. Then she skidded to a halt when an idea sprang into her head. She lowered her hammer and her eyes sparkled with excitement.

She changed directions and headed towards Old Man Arty, who handled the loading of all cannons in Dock #1. "Geezer!" she yelled at him, "Have you guys tested my last batch of cannons while I was gone?"

He shook his head and chuckled. "We know better than to touch your weapons without your permission, Nana-san."

"Great!" she said as she ran to the nearest one. She took a moment to run her hands along the sides, appreciating the textures and curves. "Hello, baby. Did you miss me?," she purred as she stroked it lovingly. She steadied herself and aimed the cannon towards the pirate group. "Incoming!" she warned to the craftsmen, "Nana Special!"

She saw Lucci, Lulu, Kaku, and Paulie both dive for cover and a look of sick pleasure spread across her face. "Test Launch, Cannon of Disgust!"

"Cannon of WHAT?!" She heard Paulie exclaim right before she fired.

_Boom!_

The cannon hit squarely in the middle of the pirate group. A huge explosion erupted followed by billowing clouds of green smoke. The smell of putrid, rotting garbage filled the air. It stung the eyes of those caught in its way and made the pirates, who were hit directly from the impact, vomit almost immediately.

"Oh my..." Iceburg murmured to himself as everyone else gagged from the smell when a gentle breeze blew it their way.

Nana pulled out a notepad from one of her pockets and started to write in it with a stubby pencil. "Cannon of Disgust, First Test. Impact radius can stand to increase by another 10 meters. Reactions to the smell is successful. Smoke came out green, which was unexpected…." she muttered as she wrote. She tapped the end of her pencil to her chin and she watched the smoke clear off. She frowned and went back to her notebook. "Could maybe make the eyes sting a little more. Need to be careful as not to inflict permanent damage to-"

"OY! Nana!" Paulie interrupted angrily as he yanked the notepad out of her hands, "Are you trying to kill us?!"

He was green in the face. Behind him, the other shipwrights didn't look much better. Nana took her goggles off her head and snatched her notepad back. She stuffed it and her pencil into her pocket. A couple of nuts, bolts, and a handful of screws fell out in the process, but Nana didn't bother to pick them back up. She shot a defiant look at Paulie. "If I was trying to kill you, I obviously did a piss poor job of it. Are you saying I should try harder next time?"

"Why you-" Paulie started to say but then he stopped himself. "I didn't even get to say my usual line on how the pirate way of doing things doesn't work on craftsmen's turf! It looks cool in front of the ladies!" he huffed.

Nana looked over at the front gate, which was now crowded with onlookers. She grinned and waved at them. They cheered and some of them greeted her back. "Don't worry, Paulie," she said through her smile, "They know you're not that cool."

"You little-" Paulie seethed as he lunged towards her but Lucci stuck his arm out to block him just in time.

Nana stuck her tongue out at Paulie. "Blehhhh," she teased.

"Shouldn't we do something about the pirates? Coo coo," Hattori, Lucci's pet dove, suggested on Lucci's behalf, "We need to clear them out so we can continue working."

"Ah," Kaku agreed as he walked over to the pile of sick pirates. He threw two of them over his shoulders and carried them to the side.

Lulu wordlessly picked up a stretcher and started to move some of the bodies as well. Nana stuck her tongue out once more at Paulie before running over to help. She leaned her hammer against a log and threw one of the pirates over her shoulders while Pygmy dragged another one by its collar.

"Look!" someone gasped, "Lulu's here! How refined he is! He's truly a man's man!"

"There's Lucci!" a woman squealed, "Oh he's so handsome!"

"There's Nana! Nana's back!" a man cheered and Nana gave him a little salute with her free hand, "Ah! Marry me, Nana!"

Nana grinned back at the guy. "You can't handle me."

The crowd roared with laughter as they ribbed the each other. "That's our Nana," some of them laughed.

"Nana!"

Nana instantly stiffened as Iceburg's stern voice carried over the crowd's chatter. He walked over to her slowly and she gulped nervously. _Crap...I'm in trouble..._ she thought as Pygmy lowered his ears and hid behind her legs. "Coward," she hissed at her pet.

"Nana," Iceburg repeated. He stopped right in front of her and crossed his arms. _Ugh...It's his 'I thought I told you' stance,_ Nana thought as she braced herself for his lecture.

"I thought I told you..."

_Yep…_

"...that we are to never hit our colleagues and to never-"

"Launch our weapons at them," Nana finished impatiently, "Yes, you did. No, I didn't listen but yes, I'm sorry. Can I go now?"

"Sure," Iceburg said with a shrug.

"WHAT?! SO EASY?!" Paulie shouted as he stormed over to his boss, "You're just going to let her get away with that?"

"No one died," Nana exclaimed and pointed at the fallen pirates, "Not even them! So what are you so angry for?"

"I have a date tonight, Nana!" Paulie thundered and he held out the sides of his jackets for her to see, "And I smell like garbage. I can't go on a date smelling like garbage!"

"Well, I'd think any girl who agreed to go on a date with you already has her standards set pretty low, don't you?" Nana asked with a serious face.

"Nana!"

Nana flinched at Iceburg's warning voice. _Okay he's really mad now,_ she thought. She sighed and looked over at Paulie. "Sorry," she mumbled as she went over to pick up her hammer, "I'll pay for the dry cleaning."

"Damn right you will," Paulie shot back as Nana and Pygmy walked off and headed toward the front gate.

"Where are you going?" Iceburg asked.

"Lunch break," Nana said with a casual wave of her hand.

Paulie sighed and looked at Iceburg. "Iceburg-san, you're much too lenient on her. One day she's going to kill someone."

"You know as well as I do," Iceburg said with a smile, "That she is the last person to do that."

"Not on purpose anyways...," Paulie muttered. He brought a cigar to his lips and he glanced over at his mentor, "Iceburg-san...You're the only person she actually listens to. What's your secret?"

"Secret?"

"Yeah. How did you get her to listen to you?"

Iceburg laughed as he walked off, petting Tyrannosaurus in his shirt pocket in the process, "I don't even know myself."

When she returned to Dock #1, she didn't come back empty handed. She and Pygmy dragged a wagonload of water-water meat, water-water apples, water-water tonkatsu, and other street food that she had gotten during her lunch run. "I'm sorry for making you sick, guys!" she shouted into a mini copper megaphone that she had made herself, "Lunch is on me today!"

The craftsmen dropped their tools and made their way towards her wagon. Some of them patted her on the back and others rubbed her head to show that there were no hard feelings. She placed a hand on her hips and looked around. "Where's Paulie?" she demanded.

Kaku bit into a water-water skewer and swallowed before answering. "He went off to grab his own lunch, I think, Nana-san."

"Shit balls," Nana cursed, "I wanted him to see this so he can see I didn't hit everyone on purpose." Then she shrugged, "But then again that means he doesn't get to eat any of this food so it still worked out in my favor."

"Language, Nana-san," Kaku laughed as he scratched the back of his head, "You and Paulie fight like cats and dogs. What is it with you two?"

Nana rolled her eyes, "I think it pisses him off that I was the first employee of Galley-La and I count as Iceburg's first disciple and not him. Although, Iceburg tells him all the important stuff and not me."

"I don't know," Kaku teased, "I think you like him."

"Ew! Just because we fight? How square are you?!"

Nana was genuinely horrified at the thought and her face showed it. "Oh god no!" she exclaimed, "He's not my type." Then something caught her eye and she pointed at it. "Neither is he, by the way."

Kaku turned to see what she was referring to. A boy, who looked about the same age as Nana, was trying to climb over one of their fences. He had a straw hat hanging on his back and was shirtless under an opened red vest. Kaku, in a flash, darted towards him and he poked a finger at the boy's head before the boy could even hop over the fence. "Hold it," Kaku warned, "You're an outsider, aren't you? Let's talk outside."

Nana exchanged a look with Pygmy and she jumped off of the wagon. They made their way over to Kaku, who had led the boy and a couple of his friends to the front gate. When Nana reached them, she saw that the boy had come with a red haired girl and a guy with a nose just like Kaku, except his was rounder while Kaku's was square.

"We're here to see Iceburg-san," the redhead said to Kaku.

"Tch, take a number," Nana scoffed.

The redhead did not care for Nana's tone and she glared at Nana. "What did you say?"

"Wooooo! Nami! Look at this dog!" the boy with the Straw Hat exclaimed as he leapt onto Pygmy's back, "It has a saddle! I can ride it!"

Pygmy barked happily and wagged his tail but immediately cowered when he saw Nana's face.

"Traitor," she muttered to Pygmy and he whined a little. She turned her annoyance at the boy on her dog's back, "Only I'm allowed to ride him. Get off. Now!"

"Luffy," the long nosed guy hissed as he quickly pulled his friend off of Pygmy's back, "Let's not start any trouble."

_Smart guy,_ Nana thought to herself. She turned her attention back to the girl. "You can't expect to request a meeting with the president of this company AND the mayor of this town and assume he's going to see you immediately. He's a really busy guy."

"Whoah, so he's the most powerful guy in town then!" the long nose guy gasped.

"What do you guys want with Iceburg then if you don't know who he is?" Nana raised her hammer. "Who are you guys?" she demanded.

"Easy, Nana-chan," Kaku said and placed a friendly hand on her shoulder. He waved a paper in his hand, "This is a reference letter from Granny Kokoro. They're customers."

Immediately, Nana put on a fake smile and bowed to the three strangers. "Welcome to Galley-La Company, where no matter how badly your ship has hit the storm, we guarantee the most professional service you can count on. My name is Mizu Nana. It is a pleasure to meet you."

_Her attitude changed so fast_ , the three visitors thought with a sweat dropping down the sides of their face.

"Er…I'm Nami.." the redhead said hesitantly and then pointed at the boy with the straw hat, who was eyeing Pygmy, "This is Luffy and that guy is Usopp." She ended with a point at the boy with the long nose.

"Oy! Nana-chan!" someone called from behind the gate, "There's a guy here from Dock #2 and he's wondering if he can use your-"

"No, he cannot!" Nana thundered as she turned 180 to shout towards the dock. "If I come back and I see even a screw out of place, I will break your hands!"

She returned back to Usopp, Nami, and Luffy and she smiled sweetly at them again. She gave a hard smack on the back to Kaku. "This guy, right here, will take care of you and we can discuss repair fees later."

She jumped onto Pygmy's back and rode back into the gate. As she passed the boy with the straw hat, she gave him a little wink and he sulked back at her.

"I want to ride it," Luffy sulked.

"Idiot! You're focusing on the wrong thing!" Usopp retorted. Nana giggled at their exchange but she didn't look back.

Back at the gate, Nami looked at Kaku curiously, "Who was that?"

Kaku laughed. "Oh that's Nana. She's kind of the adopted daughter of Iceburg-san."

"Kind of?"

"Well, legally he adopted her but she's more like a sister than a daughter to him. The whole city raised her. We all chipped in somehow. She was there when Iceburg first started this company. You could say she was one of the original founders."

"But she looks so young," Nami said.

Kaku nodded. "She's about 16 but she's also our best mechanic and blacksmith. She's in charge of making weapons for Dock #1 and helps Iceburg oversee maintenance on the sea trains."

"So can she help us get in touch with Iceburg?" Name asked hopefully.

"Probably. But the way I see it is that you guys still need to have a ship repaired right?" Kaku unclipped his tool belt and started to stretch his legs.

"Right," Usopp nodded emphatically, "Our ship has been through so much."

"Well then, I can just go and do an assessment on your ship. It'll save you time for when you talk to Iceburg-san. You guys can discuss repair fees with him." He stood up and then bent down again to get ready for a sprint. "I'll be back in 10 minutes."

"10 minutes?" Nani asked.

"Ah," Kaku said, "10 minutes."

"AHHH he's so fast!" Nami, Usopp, and Luffy cried as he dashed off into the distance.

Nana could hear their screams even while she was tearing a new one into the man who had the balls to lend her best screwdriver to someone in Dock #2. Do these people not know how often they lose her stuff? Sure they offer to replace it but her tools are almost irreplaceable! Almost.

She sighed and glared at the man. "Lucky for you, I know where to get another one so I'll let you off the hook but if you ever do touch my stuff again…"

_Thwack!_

She knocked him with half force with her hammer and he fell the ground unconscious. "I'll hit you with everything I've got!"

"Nana-chan!" Hattori shouted from Lucci's shoulder, "He can't hear you now. Coo coo! You should've hit him after you threatened him."

Nana shrugged and leaned her hammer against her shoulder. "Whatever, someone look after him. I'm going to go get a new wrench."

"Don't you mean new screwdriver? Coo coo!"

"I need a whole new set of tools," Nana said and her eyes flashed with excitement, "I just got a great idea for a new weapon!"


	3. Good Customer Service

"Make way! Make way! Coming through, people!" Nana warned as she surfed down the canals of Water 7, while Pygmy ran alongside her on the walkways. Nana stood on top of her latest transportation creation. It was a flat metal board shaped like a rocket. All along the board were pedals and gears. Underneath was a heavy metal fin, for anchoring, and an array of canisters fitted on each side of the fin.

Nana had her hammer on her back and a large messenger bag hanging off her shoulder. Nana had sewn a thin but strong magnet down the middle of her corset to hold the hammer firmly in place. Her messenger bag was old and well-worn with a large steel buckle at the front, in the shape of a very ornate heart. The bag was newly filled with the best tools she could find at her trusty hardware store.

The shop owner had a soft spot for Nana and always gave her a heads up when there was something new in their inventory. She had a sneaking suspicion it was because the auntie, who ran it, had a crush on Iceburg but Nana was wise enough to keep that to herself.

"Nana's on her waterboard! Get out of the way!" a group of guys called out just as Nana whipped between their two Yagaras.

The water splashed across her grinning face and onto her goggles. "Pygmy," she called as she pushed down on a pedal so that the canister on the farthest right would eject a strong stream of air, "Turning now!"

"Woof!" Pygmy barked as Nana made a hard left. The dog quickly jumped into the canal and doggy paddled across it in order to get to the other side of the street. He was a fast swimmer and caught up to his master in no time.

As Nana rounded the corner, she spotted something that made her hurriedly apply pressure on her back heels to gently brake. She hopped off of her board as Pygmy stopped right at her feet. A crowd had gathered on the street. Nana knew the city like the back of her hand and no one ever stopped here unless something either crazy or bad happened. She hoped it was the first and not the latter.

"This is terrible," someone murmured behind her, "Does anybody know who this guy is?"

Nana pushed herself to the front, using her waterboard to forcefully nudge people out of the way.

"You're…" she gasped when she saw what was the cause of the gathering. In the middle of the group, bleeding right on the street, was the long nose guy from earlier and he looked like he had gone through a grinder. "Usopp?! Wasn't that your name?"

The man was unconscious and lying with his limbs splayed out. Nana dropped her board and knelt down beside his head. Pygmy sniffed his face and then whimpered. She lifted Usopp up by the shoulders and gave him a gentle but firm shake. "Hey! Are you awake? Do you remember me? We met at Galley-La!"

Suddenly, she heard someone else rush over and soon the red head was kneeling down next to her. "Usopp!" she cried, "Are you okay?!" She glared at Nana. "What happened? What did you do to him?!"

Nana balked at the accusation. " _Me_?! I just got here 10 seconds before you did."

Nami turned towards the sniper. "Usopp! Can you hear me?"

"Er...are you guys pirates by any chance?" someone interrupted from the crowd.

Before Nami could say anything, Nana was already at her feet and holding her hammer. "Whoever is still looking this way in 3 seconds will get some face to face time with ol' faithful here…I have a new heat setting I want to test out and I'll happily use anyone as guinea pigs. Ready? 1!"

Immediately, the whole group turned their backs to them but they started to murmur to each other. "If Nana is with them, does this mean they were beaten up by the Galley-La people? Or do you think they were beaten up by pirates?"

"Shut up and go away! God! Take a hint, you nosy bastards!" Nana barked. The crowd snapped their lips shut and hurried away. Nana turned towards Nami and gave her a nod, "All yours."

Nami nodded tearfully back and then turned back to her nakama. Nana couldn't help but listen in on their conversation and the more she heard, the tighter she gripped her hammer. The Franky Family had apparently stolen their money and had beaten the poor guy. To make matters worse, it seemed to happen when they were in Dock #1. _Too far, Franky Family,_ Nana thought angrily, _You should know better than to bring your crap behind my walls._

The pirates were planning to spend all their money to repair their ship. By the sounds of how much guilt the guy felt, it showed that they really cared for that ship, which warmed Nana's heart. It wasn't everyday she came across people who valued their ship like a dear friend. It was too rare, in Nana's opinion, but that might just be because she was a craftsman.

"Nana?"

Nana turned to look at Nami. "Can you look after Usopp for a little bit? I don't think it's wise to move him and I need to go get my nakama."

Nana nodded her head and Pygmy barked in support as well. "I can stay here," Nana said.

"Thank you," Nami sighed gratefully and then turned back to Usopp. She lifted him up and had him lean against the side of a building. "Listen, Usopp. Just stay put here okay? I'm going to get the others and I'll get Chopper to treat you too. I heard their hideout was not too far from here so we'll go crush them and get the money back, okay? So don't worry about the money. Just...just stay here!"

Usopp stayed silent as Nami ran off. Nana sighed and slumped down beside Usopp. Pygmy sat next to her and placed his head on her lap. She scratched him behind his ears and she looked over at Usopp, who was motionless. She couldn't even tell if he was awake.

"Nothing to see here, people," she said to the passerbys and raised her hammer threateningly at them if she didn't think they were moving fast enough.

They sat in silence for awhile. "So you really love your ship, huh?" she finally asked, taking the chance that he was still awake.

"Ah," he wheezed back.

"Good," Nana replied with an approving nod, "That's very good. I've seen too many people just come in and give up on their ship you know? Just one little crack in the floorboard and they're asking us for our newest model."

Pygmy lifted his head and looked at her curiously. She rolled her eyes. "I'm babbling, I know. I have a tendency to do that. When I'm in my workshop all day, I don't really have anyone to talk to so I got into the habit of talking out loud to fill the silence. Hard to believe, I know, that there can be silence in a shipyard. I'm surrounded by thousands of craftsmen on a daily basis but I still-"

She stopped short when she realized that Usopp was attempting to stand back on his feet.

"What are you doing?" she gasped.

"I-I-I..I have to go and…" he grunted.

Nana was in disbelief. "You can't even finish a full sentence. Where are you trying to get to?"

"F-F-F-..Franky...Family…" he stuttered as he shakily stood up.

"They already kicked your ass and now you're going to go back for seconds?! Are you crazy?" Nana demanded.

"I need to get the money back, " Usopp insisted, taking two slow steps forward, "Merry...needs to be repaired."

He stumbled to the ground but before he could hit face first and break his nose on the stone street, Nana caught him by the collar and lifted him up. She sighed and looked at Pygmy. "I'm going to regret this," she said and draped Usopp over the dog, "Pygmy can take you. I already told Nami that I would stay here and I don't want to go back on my word. If the Franky Family sees Pygmy's with you, maybe he'll make an exception for me."

Pygmy whined a little bit but then wagged his tail. Nana smiled at her pet. "Go, Pyg, and watch out for him okay?"

Pygmy wagged his tail again and he ran forward with Usopp barely hanging onto his back. Nana rested her hammer onto the floor and sat down. She had a feeling Nami wasn't going to be too pleased with her but Nana was okay with that...Because if she were in Usopp's shoes, she'd do the same thing.

* * *

 "Stop, stop!"

Nana looked up from her waterboard. She had preoccupied herself with adjusting some tubes and fine-tuning the pressure sensitivity. Although, there wasn't much to tweak since her work was pretty flawless. She spotted a blonde haired, slim man, reading a map, while standing up in a Yagara boat. Next to him sat a more muscular, green haired man and an adorable little creature with antlers and a pink hat on his head.

"If I remember right, this is the place Nami-swan was talking about," the blonde said as he lowered the map. Then his eyes met Nana's. She removed her goggles and placed it on the top of her head. _No...It wasn't the goggles_ , she thought with amusement, _His eyebrows really are shaped like that._

The blonde blinked. "Hello, beautiful lady!" he sang out as he twirled off the boat and towards Nana. She could've sworn she heard the green haired man mutter "Oh crap, here he goes again" under his breath.

The blonde appeared in front of Nana and helped her to her feet, "I would walk through a thousand fires just so I could have an hour with you, mellorine."

Nana was about to burst into laughter over his over the top behavior when she caught what he was saying before. "Nami? Did you say Nami? Are you one of her nakama?"

"En! How do you know Nami?" the little creature asked eagerly as he ran over to them.

"Of course, an angel like you would be friends with our beautiful Nami-swan," the blonde swooned.

"Oh, be quiet, Curly Brow!" the green haired man snapped.

"It's nice to meet you...Curly Brow, was it?" Nana said with a wry smile. She withdrew her hand from his hold and turned to the little creature, "Nami asked me to stay here with your friend Usopp and-"

"USOPP!" the talking animal gasped, "So he was here?! Where did he go?"

"He went to find the Franky Family," Nana said.

"AND YOU LET HIM?!" the green haired man yelled. His menacing tone made Nana tense up.

"Don't shout at a lady like that, you shitty morimo!" Curly Brow snarled back as he gently pushed Nana behind him. Nana crossed her arms and stared contemplatively at the blonde's back. His action had caught her slightly off guard. Growing up with rough and burly craftsmen and the aloof Iceburg, it wasn't often that someone would jump in to defend Nana. He had done it so swiftly that Nana had a feeling it was second nature for him to protect someone like that. She was a little surprised at herself that she didn't mind his action at all.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhh," a voice screamed from the sky, interrupting Nana's thoughts. They all looked up but they saw no one.

"Huh?" Nana asked as she put her goggles back on to see if she could see any better.

"AHHHHHHH!" The scream started to get louder until finally the boy in the straw hat appeared in the sky and he was growing larger and larger as he fell closer and closer. Nana was jerked back by the blonde to avoid colliding with the Straw Hat. He bounced off the street, into the side of the building, and ricocheted into the water.

"Can he swim?" she asked the silent trio behind her.

"Who is that?" the green haired swordsman mumbled.

"I think his name was...Luffy?" Nana said uncertainly and then the boy's face sprouted out from the surface.

"Help me!" he gurgled before sinking back down again.

"LUFFY!" the guys cried with a mix of recognition, anger, and surprise.

"Oh, so you do know him?" Nana asked, a little confused by the whole situation.

"Don't worry, pretty lady," Curly Brow said as he dove into the water, "I got this."

"I wasn't going to jump in anyways…" Nana murmured to herself as she stared at the rippling water.

Luffy gagged and coughed up a lot of water when he got back on land. Nana looked at the green haired man for some answers.

"He ate the Gum Gum fruit," he grunted, "He can't swim."

"Ah," Nana said and nodded in understanding. _So he's just like me…_

"What are you doing?!" the blonde guy lectured as he smacked Luffy hard on the back to help him get all the water out, "Where'd you come falling from?"

"Shipyard," Luffy gasped, "I was jumping around imitating this guy from the shipyard to look for Usopp."

"Kaku?" Nana asked and Luffy lifted his head up, "You really shouldn't try that for the first time without his supervision. I did it once and broke both my wrists. For weeks, it hurt just to tighten a screw!"

"Ohhhh! You're the dog girl!" Luffy shouted excitedly, "You're from the shipyard!"

"Nana. My name is Mizu Nana," Nana huffed and placed her hands on her hips, "At least I had the courtesy to remember your name, _Luffy_!"

"Oh, Nana-chan!" Curly Brow immediately leapt to his feet and got onto his knees to take her hand back into his, "It is an honor to meet you. I am your humble servant. My name is-"

"Idiot. You can call him Idiot," the green haired man grunted as he gave the blonde a hard kick to the side. The blonde leapt up to his feet and stared daggers at his assailant.

"How dare you interrupt me when I'm-" he started to say.

"My name is Tony Tony Chopper," the creature interrupted as he tugged on Nana's hand to get her attention, "I'm a reindeer and I ate the human-human fruit."

"Oh!" Nana said with relief, "I was wondering what you were."

He pointed a hoof at the two arguing men. "The one with the swords, that's Roronoa Zoro and the one smoking a cigarette is 'Black Leg' Sanji."

"Black Leg? That's an odd name," Nana commented.

"He just goes by his pirate name because we don't know his last name and I don't think he does either," Chopper explained.

_So he's just like me too...,_ Nana thought to herself.

"We're all part of the Straw Hat pirates and Luffy is our captain," Chopper continued.

"Oh! We have a problem, guys!" Luffy suddenly interrupted, "Usopp got abducted along with the money!"

"Ah, we know," Sanji responded as he and Zoro stopped mid-fight, "Come on. We're on our way to their hideout. Nami-san gave us an idea of where it would be. Usopp got beaten up and the money was stolen from him."

"Oy, Dog Girl!" Luffy scrambled to his feet and grabbed her hands. "You grew up in this city. You must know the fastest way to get to him. Can you show us?" he begged.

Nana gulped and didn't even bother to correct Luffy this time. "When you guys go, you'll probably go kick their ass right?"

Luffy nodded which made Nana frown. "I really shouldn't interfere…Franky would-," she started to say.

Suddenly, Sanji pushed Luffy out of the way and took her hands in his. "Nana-chan," he asked solemnly, "If you could please tell us the fastest way to get there...We need to save our friend. This isn't about the money. This is about-"

"I know what it's about," Nana sighed. There was a sincerity in his eyes and in his voice that for some reason Nana just couldn't say no to. She nodded hesitantly at him, "I can show you the way but you can't tell anyone that I helped you."

Sanji smiled gratefully at her and kissed her hand. "Thank you, Nana-chan. You are as beautiful as you are kind."

She let out a little snort of amusement and then pulled her hand out of his grip. "You'll never going to meet another girl like me," she said with a wink before walking away from him.

"Ahhhh. I think I've died and gone to heaven," Sanji sighed affectionately behind her.

"I can arrange that for you," Zoro hissed at him.

Nana went to the edge of the street and floated her waterboard on the canal. "This is going to go fast so you guys better keep up," she warned.

"What is _that_?!" Luffy cried, his eyes shining with excitement.

"Oh, it's my waterboard. I built it myself," Nana said proudly and she tilted it so the sunlight could accentuate the details. "It's made of-"

"Oy! Now is not the time! We need to find Usopp!" Zoro growled angrily.

Nana inhaled sharply. "Right," she said with a nod and hurriedly jumped on her waterboard. She pushed a pedal down with her right foot and zoomed off.

"SO COOL!" Luffy exclaimed behind her.

"Idiot! Follow her!" Zoro and Sanji snapped at the same time.

* * *

Nana could only imagine the rage the men were feeling when they arrived at Franky's House. She was already furious at the state of Pygmy and he only had a couple of light burn marks on his fur and shallow cuts along his legs. Usopp, on the other hand, looked even worse than when she first found him. Chopper apparently was the ship's doctor and he was checking the condition of their friend. He had changed into a human form, which had caught Nana off guard.

"Is he breathing?" Luffy asked. There was a quiet anger in his voice, like rolling thunder.

"Although he's completely unconscious, he's still alive," Chopper replied, "He'll be okay. I can save him."

Pygmy whined and nudged Nana's hand with his nose. That caught Chopper's attention and he looked up at Nana. "He said…'I dragged him out before they could do anymore damage to him but they thought it would be funny to throw things at me too'."

Both Pygmy and Nana looked at him in surprise. "I can understand animals," Chopper replied simply.

"That makes sense…" Nana said. She then squatted down to touch noses with Pygmy, "You did good, Pyg...You did real good," she whispered to him as he licked her face. She had hoped maybe the presence of Pygmy would get the Franky Family to back off of Usopp and give him a chance to get his money back if they knew he was with her. But now she knew she was being naive and it was all wishful thinking.

She stroked his fur and then felt the burnt patch close to his leg. She looked over and saw blood drip down his paw from a shallow cut. She clenched her jaw. _Franky, if you're not going to teach your family some members...maybe I should do it for you..._

"Just wait a bit, Usopp." Luffy pushed his straw hat over his eyes. Sanji lit his cigarette and took a deep puff. Zoro tied his bandana over his head. Chopper bared his teeth and let out a snort of anger. Luffy clenched his fist as the four men set off towards the Franky house.

"Wait…" Nana whispered as she got to her feet. She dropped her messenger bag to the floor next to her waterboard. She lifted her hammer and leaned it across her shoulders. She held the end of the hammer with one hand and hooked her arm over the other end. "I'm coming too."

"Oy, this is our crew's business-" Zoro started to argue.

"They did this in my dock, behind my walls.It's only fair I help you guys get your money back. That's just good customer service," Nana thundered and then dropped her voice. "Besides," she said coolly, even though inside she felt like she had a raging fire in her stomach, "No one messes with Pygmy and gets away with it." 

Luffy eyes were narrowed and he nodded. "We're gonna blow this stupid house away," he said as he continued on towards the house.

"Sounds good," Nana replied and followed a few feet behind the Straw Hats.


	4. Attack on the Franky House

**** The door opened to the Franky's House before any of the Straw Hats could knock and one of Franky's Herculean Destroyers stepped out. It was the one with the pink hair and, if Nana remembered correctly, Danbi was his name. He had on the family uniform, metal lederhosen with a pink star in the front and small, metal goggles over his eyes.

He froze when he saw the group waiting for him outside of the house, especially when he saw Nana in the distance with her hammer. "N-N-Nana?! What are you doing here?"

His answer came in the form of Luffy's punch. Nana couldn't even maintain her cool when his arm stretched out past her and all the way towards Usopp. _Devil Fruit!,_ she thought, _Just as Zoro said._

"Whoa," was all Nana could whisper as his fists came sailing forward at a breakneck speed. It hit Danbi right between the eyes and he was knocked back into the house with a stream of blood spurting out of his nose.

"Ahhhh," he cried, flying across the room of the Franky House. He crashed right in the middle of the group like a cannon ball, kicking off dust and smoke in the process.

"What?! What happened?!" the members of the Franky Family shouted. When the smoke cleared, they all gulped simultaneously.

"That's...That's…"

Nana was still many steps away from the house but she still recognized Zambai's voice. "That's Straw Hat Luffy!" he cried in fear.

Somebody laughed from inside the house and Nana had a feeling it was one of the other Kairiki Destroyers. _Kano, most likely. He has the deepest voice._

"So you guys came to get your money back, huh, you fools?" Kano rumbled, "See all the guys here? What do you think you four can do? But well, you're here and you've got a bounty on your head so why don't you leave your heads with us."

"Hehehe," Zambai chuckled with false confidence, "He's the captain of that weak long nosed guy."

The rest of the group started to laugh menacingly as well. "Yeah. He can't be that strong," one of them said.

Nana walked through the door and kept her eyes lowered. "There's a chance he's not…" she spoke in a clipped tone, "But can you say that about me?"

There was a collective gasp as they watched the mechanic tap her hammer against the palm of her hand. "N-N-N-Nana?! What are you doing here? If you lay a hand on us, Franky will-"

"Well, Franky's not here to save your sorry asses, is he?" she barked back, "If he has any questions on why I'm here, he can come directly to me for answers. But right now, I'm looking for answers myself. First question...which one of you assholes thought it was okay to sneak into Galley-La's private property and steal from our customers?"

"Eeeep!" she heard three men gasp, including Zambai. _Bingo,_ she thought.

"Second question…" This time her voice went so cold and low it sent shivers down the men's spines. "You guys think you can attack my dog and get away with it?"

"I told you guys to leave that mutt alone!" a man in the back wailed, "Even Big Bro told us to not touch the dog before he left."

Before Nana could say anything else, Luffy started the fight. "Gum Gum-," he shouted as he let out a series of hard punches at the pink star of the Kairiki Destroyer.

"That's reinforced steel!" Nana warned the rubber man. She started to run towards him to offer some assistance, "Even the standard battleship cannon can't break through that."

Instantly, Sanji's hand shot out and grabbed her by the waist. "Easy, Nana-chan," he murmured as he pulled her closer to him and away from the Straw Hat. "Let Luffy do it."

She immediately pushed his hands away. "I don't need saving. Not now, not ever," she stated but she stood in place and took his advice. She looked onwards at the rubber man.

"If you're just fooling around, I'll go ahead and crush you," Kano chuckled at Luffy, who continued to punch at his metal armor.

"Ahhhhhh!" Luffy yelled and then suddenly his fists became a blur of blinding red light, "Cannon!"

Nana's eyes widened when his fists broke through Kano's steel and sent him hurtling into the rest of the family. "He punched a hole through the armor," Nana breathed in awe, almost dropping her hammer.

"Ah," Sanji said, "That's our captain."

"W-W-Wait a sec," Zambai stammered, "Let's have a talk first. Let's...Let's...Let's fire our cannons!"

A group of men wheeled out five cannons and pointed it at the intruders. "Two 42-pounders and three 36-pounders," Nana murmured to herself. She clenched her fingers around her hammer. "That's quite a collection."

_Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!_

All five cannons fired and Nana moved forward but then realized she was grabbed again by Sanji. "Now what?" she snapped and shoved his hands away from her with more force this time.

"Please forgive me, Nana-chan," Sanji said with a puff of his cigarette, "But I cannot allow you to continue on when that shitty morimo is about to run wild."

"The...what?" Nana asked. She looked forward and realized that Zoro was running at the cannons with his three swords gleaming in the light.

"Three Sword Style," he growled, "Raven Hunt!"

His blades sliced through all five of the cannons and they landed in pieces behind Nana and the rest of the group. "Those...are iron cannons," Nana whispered to no one in particular. Zoro glared at one of the 42 pound cannons nearest to him and in one swift motion, he cut it in half before returning his swords into their scabbards.

"Bad news! These guys are bad news!" the Franky Family wailed, "We need to escape. Let's go through the back door."

Sanji calmly pulled out the cigarette between his lips. "Excuse me, Nana-chan," he said with a slow puff of his cigarette, "I have to go."

Sanji leapt high into the air and landed on one of the 36 pound cannons. With a precise yet flourishing display of agility, he kicked off the barrel, did a perfect somersault over the Franky Family, and landed with one hand planted firmly on top of Zambai's face. "Oy, _you_ started the fight. Don't act pathetic," he lectured, while balanced perfectly on top of the man.

_This guy is pretty strong too,_ Nana thought.

"Party Table…" Sanji snarled as he whipped his legs forward into a windmill, "Kick Course!"

He kicked the surrounding Franky Family members right in the face. He swiftly pushed off of Zambai's face and landed on the floor just in time to plant a high kick right up someone's jaw. He stared stonily at the remaining Franky Family members who were trying to escape.

"W-W-We can't use the back door," they gasped as they backed away from him.

"W-W-Windows! Let's use the windows!" one of them suggested.

"Rumble!" Chopper shouted as Nana watched him eat a small yellow ball, "Horn Point!"

If Nana wasn't caught off guard before, she certainly was once Chopper changed shape into a four legged reindeer and his antlers became sharper and with more points. He charged through the incoming men, spearing them with his horns. "Roseo Colonnade!"

Nana raised an eyebrow. _This is no ordinary pirate crew._

"W-W-W-W-Wait a minute," Zambai exclaimed hysterically.

Nana rapidly regained her composure and she took a steady breath. _My turn,_ Nana thought as she readied her hammer. Her thumb moved to a small button in the handle. It triggered a flame thrower inside the hammer head. _This one's for Galley-La._

"You want the money back, right?! The 200 million bellis that worthless guy had, right?" Zambai babbled, "Unfortunately, the money is no longer here. Our boss, Franky, took that money and went shopping. Since he's buying something from the black market, we don't know where he went. So even if-"

"Nana Special," Nana called as she charged forward, "Wrathful Smash!"

_Thwack!_

Nana sent Zamba flying with a swing from her hammer, which was glowing bright red. It connected right across his cheek and Zambai cried out in pain as the metal seared into his skin before he disconnected and crashed into the back wall.

"Idiot," Nana seethed, "Can't you see it's not about the money?"

"Hrmph," Zoro snorted, "Not bad."

"AHH Zambai!" one of the men screamed.

"Nana-chan is right," Sanji glowered, "This isn't about the money."

"Ah, it's too late," Zoro agreed.

"We'll beat you up so much that not even your bones will remain," Luffy warned.

The men gasped. "Not even our bones?!"

"Idiot!" one of them shouted, "Don't get frightened! 'Not even your bones will remain' is what we, the Franky Family, demolition workers and bounty hunters, say! Show them the Franky House's specialty!"

Nana raised her hammer as they rolled out a gigantic cannon the size of a prize bull. She narrowed her eyes at the monstrosity.

"Anything Shot Cannon!" one of them cried before firing a cornucopia of random objects at her and the Straw Hats. There were spears, watermelons, fake rubber snakes, knives, and other items that the Franky Family apparently just found and shoved into the barrel. Nana dodged the items easily while hitting back a few with her hammer.

"Don't…" she growled as she launched herself high up into the air and landed on top of the cannon, "...damage the integrity of a cannon! Nana Special!"

She swung her still-red hammer in a circle, knocking away the men surrounding the cannon. "Whirl of Pain!"

"Gahhh," the men cried.

Nana knelt down and patted the metal barrel lovingly. "It's okay, baby," she cooed, "You're in my hands now. I'll take good care of you."

Around her, the rest of the men were getting a harsh beating from the four pirates. They were either getting punched by Luffy, sliced by Zoro, kicked by Sanji, or rammed into by Chopper. Nana took the time to jump down from the barrel and inspect the cannon. From the corner of her eye she saw a couple of cannonballs tucked away in the back. She calmly went to pick one up, while striking someone with her hammer so that they couldn't stop her. She picked up the cannonball with one hand and casually placed it into the barrel.

She positioned the cannon towards the center of the room. "Incoming!" she shouted, "Nana Special!"

"What?!" Everyone gasped, including the Straw Hats, when they saw Nana behind the cannon.

"Equalizer!" she yelled and fired at the same time.

_BOOM!_

The house exploded as the cannon hit right where there was an open space. Everyone was sent hurtling out as the building broke into tiny pieces. The only people left standing were Nana and the Straw Hats.

"Oy! What were you thinking? You could've killed everyone," Zoro coughed as the smoke cleared. They were standing in the rubble, with Luffy deep in thought. He stood above them on a metallic structure that was the only thing that remained of the Franky House.

"I aimed it so that it didn't kill _at all_ ," Nana replied with her arms folded. She was sitting on a big chunk of cement, "See, I discovered that if you hit a cannonball just right, you can get the impact but it won't-"

"Whatever," Zoro said as he tied his bandana back onto his arm.

"Ahhh, Nana-chan!" Sanji adulated. His eyes clouded over with passion and he went down on his knees, "Your accuracy takes my breath away."

A baffled look crossed Nana's face and for a second Zoro thought she was going to slap the Curly Brow. Then, she surprised everyone by throwing her head back and laughing really hard. She took her hand out of Sanji's hold and grinned down at the kneeling cook. "Well, I've knocked the wind out of a lot of men but it was always because of my strength and never because of my accuracy."

"Should we go find that Franky person?" Chopper asked, not noticing the exchange. He had returned to his original form and was bandaging up the injured Usopp.

"Even if we find him and strangle him," Zoro scoffed, "it wouldn't matter if he spent the money already…"

"I can go ask the other shipwrights if they know where to get black market stuff...Maybe they'll have an idea of where Franky is," Nana suggested hopefully, "Come find me at Dock #1 tomorrow."

Zoro shrugged, "It's worth a shot. Thanks."

Nana nodded and hopped off her seat. "Pygmy, let's go back."

Her dog, who was watching over Usopp, barked and trotted over to his master. Chopper was kind enough to help bandage his legs. She gave Pygmy a pet on the head and then jumped on his saddle.

"You can ride him?!" Zoro exclaimed.

"Ahhh, Nana-chan looks so divine upon her steed!" Sanji swooned as they ran off, "I wish I could have the honor of carrying her around the world."

"Shut up, Curly Brow, or else I'll throw a saddle on you and have you carry all of us back to the ship," Zoro seethed.

"Ah!" Chopper cried as he looked down at Usopp's feet, "She left her waterboard and her bag!"

* * *

By the time Nana and Pygmy arrived at Dock #1, it was really late. The sun was setting and almost everyone was heading home. Lucci, Kaku, Lulu, and even Tilestone were already gone. Only Paulie was left tying together some lumber for the next day's orders.

"Hey Paulie!" Nana called as she jumped off of Pygmy's back, "I have something to ask you!'

"Where the hell have you been?!" Paulie thundered, "You went to lunch and then never came back. Did you think I wouldn't notice? I'm the head shipwright for Dock #1 so you still have to report to me, you know."

"Oh right…" Nana scratched the back of her head in embarrassment, "I kinda got carried away with other stuff and forgot about my shift."

"You forgot?!" Paulie balked, "You've never forgotten your shift in your life. You live to work in your warehouse. Hell, you practically LIVE in your warehouse. Where were you, Nana?"

"Franky's," Nana said bluntly, 'But he wasn't there. He left for some black market. Any idea where that would be?"

Instantly, Paulie had her by the ear and was dragging her back to the warehouse.

"Ow ow ow ow ow," Nana complained.

"You will stay here and finish all your orders from today," he seethed as he let go of her ear, "And even if I did know where a black market would be, do you think I'd tell you?!"

Nana grimaced and rubbed her ear. "Fine," she muttered, "I'll just ask Icy when I get home."

Paulie snorted as he headed home, "Like he'd tell you."

It took Nana five hours to finish all the requests. By the time she was done, she had finished an iron demi-cannon, two iron culverins, and a copper demi-culverin. She ran her hand over each barrel before leaving for the night. "Good night, my babies," she sang before turning off the lights to her warehouse and locking up.

Paulie was right about Nana practically living in her warehouse as both she and Iceburg lived in the main office building of the Galley-La company, which just so happens to be connected to Dock #1. From her warehouse to her room on the fourth floor, it took exactly 347 human steps. Nana had counted many times.

Her room was basically a miniature version of her warehouse with a drafting desk, peg walls lined with tools right up to the ceiling, a fireplace, and a giant anvil in the center. She didn't have a bed. Instead, she slept in a hammock made out of an old fishing net with a simple blanket and pillow. There were framed blueprints all around her room. They were all her childhood works that Iceburg had insisted they keep.

Her drafting desk was covered with blueprints and mechanical sketches. On top of all the papers was a neat little stack of letters. Nana had gotten love letters and fan mail, which was common for the main foremen and shipwrights of Dock #1, so the letters were usually left untouched and ignored. Nana sighed and placed her hammer next to the door, while Pygmy happily trotted over into his bed in the corner, made out of old leather, and curled up into it.

Nana went over to her desk and saw that there was a white mask lying on it, right next to the letters. It had painted red lips and copper leaves painted around it's eyes. There was a note attached to it. _The number of letters sent to you is increasing. If you get a boyfriend, please at least have the courtesy to give me a heads up. I do not want to be the last one to know. Also, I want to go to San Faldo tomorrow for the festival. I've already cancelled my appointments. - Iceburg_

"Tch," Nana scoffed as she tossed the mask aside and decided to not even think about Iceburg's first comment about the letters, "And Paulie is mad at me for not getting _my_ work done."

She sighed again and looked over her wall of tools to make sure he didn't touch anything there but then her eyes widened. "My bag! My waterboard! Shit. I forgot it at the Franky House!"

She turned to look at Pygmy, who yawned. "Do you think they'll bring back my stuff?"

Pygmy blinked back and she sighed. "I should go check...Who knows what those pirates would do with those things."

Pygmy yipped and she smiled. "Yeah...They don't seem like bad guys. I think they'll give it back if I ask for it."

Sanji's face flashed in her mind and she couldn't help but chuckle. "Yeah...they're kinda funny, aren't they?"

She headed for the door and then she stopped short. She turned around and looked at a clock on the wall made out of gears, cogs, and chains. She frowned at the time. "I should probably tell Icy where I'm going. Otherwise, he's going to worry. Right?"

Pygmy jumped out of his bed and went to her feet. He wagged his tail in support. Nana gave him a pat on the head and exited the room, lifting her hammer and putting it on her back in one fluid motion. She made her way across the hall and towards Iceburg's room with Pygmy at her heels. When she reached his double doors, she didn't even bother to knock. She never had and she wasn't planning on starting now.

"Hey, Icy," she said as she pushed the door open, "I'm home but I have to head out. I forgot my-"

Nana stopped short. His room was empty and the lights were off. She frowned and turned to Pygmy. "That's odd...He's usually in his room by now. Do you think he got caught up with work?"

Pygmy wagged his tail and she shrugged. "Okay, let's try his office."

She went down the marble staircase to the floor below and again, she didn't bother knocking when she opened the door. "You know, if you just stop cancelling your appointments, maybe you wouldn't have to-"

Nana stopped dead in her tracks. Her eyes fell on Iceburg, who was lying face down in middle of the room in a pool of blood. "...work so late…." she whispered.

For a second, Nana forgot how to breathe. It wasn't until Pygmy rushed forward to the body that she inhaled a sharp breath. "ICY!" Nana gasped. She ran forward to the man. Thick, red blood coated her hands as soon as she touched him. "No..No..No..No..No…"

There were three bullet holes down his back and when she turned him, she saw there were two more in his front. From Nana's expert eyes, which were starting to well up with tears, she could tell the shots were a mix of mid and close range. "Icy," she whimpered, "Icy? Can you hear me? It's me...Nana..."

"Na...na…"

Nana's eyes widened as Iceburg's opened too.

"Icy!" she cried, "I'm going to go call a doctor for you, okay? Just don't die on me, please. Please don't die on me."

A small crashing sound came from her left and she looked up to see that Pygmy had knocked Iceburg's transponder snail off of his desk. She scrambled over to it and connected it to the hospital.

_Purupurupurupurupuru._

"COME ON! DAMN IT! PICK UP!" she screamed into the receiver.

_Purupurpururpuru. Catcha._

"Hello, this is-"

"IT'S MIZU NANA. I'M IN Iceburg'S OFFICE. Iceburg HAS BEEN SHOT. GET YOUR FUCKING ASS OVER HERE AND SAVE HIM OR ELSE I'M GOING TO BURN YOUR HOSPITAL TO THE GROUND!" Nana screamed into the phone.

There was a gasp from the other line, "Iceburg-san has been-"

"ARE YOU GOING TO FUCKING ASK QUESTIONS OR ARE YOU GOING TO COME SAVE HIS LIFE?!" Nana roared.

"Ah! Yes! I'll send people over right away!"

_Catcha._

The receiver fell to the floor as Nana threw it down on the ground and rushed back to Iceburg. She lifted his head so that it could rest on her lap. Her tears fell onto his face. She bit her lip hard but it was a failed effort to keep herself from crying.

"Na...na…" he said faintly. He grabbed her wrist with his hand but it wasn't a strong grip, which made Nana cry even harder.

"Who did this to you?" Nana whispered, "Did you see them?"

"Yes...It...was...two...people," he said, "One was...in a mask...and the other...was Nico Robin."

Nana was confused. "Nico Robin? The girl in that poster you have on your wall?"

"She's part...of the Straw Hats…pirates."

Nana's mind went blank and she could feel the blood drain from her face. There was a ringing that came into her ears and she couldn't focus.

"That can't be true…That can't be…" she whispered.

"Nana…"

She looked back down at Iceburg. "Nana...Promise me you won't do anything. You'll only get yourself hurt."

"I-"

"Promise me, Nana."

She nodded hesitantly. Iceburg smiled weakly back at her. "You know," he whispered, "You've never said please to me until tonight."

Nana sobbed and bent down to bury her face in his shoulder as her arms wrapped around his head. "I'll keep saying it as long as you don't die on me. Please don't die on me. Please. Please. Please. Please."

She kept repeating that word even after the doctor had arrived and pulled her away. She was still saying it when they operated on him in his own room and she kept saying it when the police arrived to investigate the scene of the crime. She only stopped when the sun started to rise and the doctor came out of Iceburg's room to tell her that Iceburg was in a coma but very much alive.


	5. Angel Eyes

"Nana-san," Kalifa said gently. She placed a firm hand on Nana's shoulder and she squeezed it gently to get the mechanic to wake up, "You should go back to your room and rest there. Or maybe eat something? I can have someone get you breakfast."

Nana lifted her head from her arms. She was sitting on a chair and resting at Iceburg's bedside. Her tongue felt fuzzy but not as fuzzy as her mind. She blinked and the image of IV drips and the heart monitor refocused in her tired, pale-green eyes. She turned her head to look at Iceburg, who was still asleep and covered in bandages. She sighed. "No."

"Nana-san," Kalifa tried again.

"I said no. I want to be here when he wakes up," Nana insisted stubbornly, "Get the hell off my back."

"How rude," Kalifa said with a frown, "It's not healthy for you to just sit here all day. Besides, I heard there's an Aqua Laguna coming. Maybe you can go double check Dock #1 to make sure it's prepped for the storm and ready to be an evacuation shelter."

That caught Nana's attention and she slowly turned to Kalifa. As much as she wanted to stay, she knew if Iceburg were awake, he'd want her to make sure the company was okay and the citizens would be safe. She took a deep breath. "You'll come get me if he wakes up?"

"You'll be the first person I get," Kalifa promised with a firm nod, "But you should go shower first, Nana-san."

"Why?" Nana demanded.

Kalifa adjusted her glasses. "Because there are reporters lined up outside of Dock #1 and if they catch you looking like that, it'll shock everyone and cause more of a scandal."

Nana looked down and realized the front of her corset was covered in blood. There were also blood stains on her sleeves and some on her pants as well. _How can so much blood come from one person?_

She nodded her head weakly at Kalifa and headed for her room.

Nana opened her wardrobe and picked out a fresh shirt, corset, and pants. All her clothes were the same since she had designed it myself and had it all custom made by the local seamstress and leather worker. She had more interesting things to do in her workshop than to worry about shopping. Plus, the money she saved on clothes went to her equipment and supplies.

She stepped into the shower and turned the water on full blast. She stood there under the water for a very long time as the hot steam swelled around her like a comforting blanket.

She was all dressed and rubbing her hair dry with a towel when she noticed the San Faldo mask on the floor. She picked it up and she could feel her eyes start to sting. _We should be goofing off today...We shouldn't be doing this…_

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. She dashed towards it and dropped the mask. "Is he awake?!" she cried while flinging the door wide open.

She was crestfallen to see that it wasn't Kalifa but just an employee on security duty. Then she noticed what he was holding. It was her waterboard and her messenger bag. "Er, sorry to bother you, Nana-san, but someone left these for you at the door and-"

"Who? Who left these?" she demanded, "What did he look like?"

"He was blonde with funny eyebrows and-"

Nana pushed the man out of the way and raced out the door, not even remembering to take her hammer. She had promised Icy that she wouldn't do anything but god damn it, this was important! He had lost a lot of blood when she made that promise so he probably wasn't in the right mindset anyways.

She remembered not to go through the front gate because Kalifa was right. They needed to avoid the press. _This is private business anyways,_ she thought. _This is personal._

She skidded to a halt right before she could jump the gate. _Shit!_ she thought as her hand went to her face. _People are going to recognize me._

"Woof! Woof!"

She looked down and saw Pygmy running after her with the mask and a leather duster in his mouth. She bent low and pressed her forehead against his. "Good dog...VERY good dog," she whispered as she took the mask and coat from him. He licked her nose and she did the same.

She pulled off her aviator helmet and goggles and draped it over Pygmy's head. She slapped on the mask and then put on the leather duster. She belted it tightly in the front to cover her clothes and she gave Pygmy a pat on the head.

"Stay here. I'll go find that pirate," she growled before leaping over the fence. She didn't know what to say when she saw him but she knew exactly what she was going to do. She had always been more of a doer than a talker anyways.

She ran halfway around the building before spotting the blonde. He had his hands in his pocket and he had the nerve to be casually strolling. She launched herself forward and tackled him to the ground by the waist.

"What the-" he shouted. He fell hard on his back and Nana jumped on top of him. She raised her fist while grabbing his neck with her other hand.

Instantly, his hands shot out and caught her by both wrists, holding them just inches away from his throat and face. She had expected his speed but she had underestimated his strength. He swung his legs out and twisted his body so that they switched positions, with him on top and pinning her down by the shoulders. "What the hell is your problem, you bastard?" he demanded and he smacked the mask right off her face. His eyes widened when he realized who she was. "Nana-chan?"

"I TRUSTED YOU!" she screamed as tears started to pour down her face, "I was trying to help you!"

Sanji quickly jumped off of her and put out a hand to her. "Nana-chan! I'm so sorry. I didn't know it was you. What-" He stopped short when he saw that the infuriated look on her face. "Nana...chan?"

She slapped his hand away from her and got onto her feet. "I thought you guys were okay," she seethed. Her voice was shaking and her fists were clenched at her side, "I thought you guys needed my help...Was it all a diversion?"

"Was...what a diversion? Sorry, Nana-chan but I'm not really following-"

"Did you guys fake all of that to lure me away so that Nico Robin could try to kill Iceburg?!" Nana yelled, not even caring if people could hear her.

Sanji blinked back at her. "What? Robin-chan did what?! Who is Iceburg?"

_Thwack!_

Nana punched him right across the face and he fell backwards. He looked at her in stunned silence. "You're lucky I forgot to bring my hammer," she fumed, "Go tell your captain he has one hour to turn himself in or else I'm going to send the whole town after him."

Nana snatched her mask from the ground, placed it back over her face, and started to turn back.

"Nana-chan, please, just tell me what's wrong so I can-" Sanji grabbed her wrist to stop her.

"Don't talk to me! Don't touch me! Don't even act like you know me!" Nana roared as she pushed him to the ground. Her eyes burned into his and even through the eyeholes in the mask, Sanji could see that she was still crying. "I never want to see you again."

With that she ran off back down the street where she came from, leaving a stunned Sanji on the floor with a swollen cheek.

* * *

Sanji rubbed his face and watched the girl run off. He got up to his feet and dusted off his pants. He took a deep calming breath. There was something about this girl that stood out to him. Sure, he realized he thought that about any mellorine but this one…He couldn't quite put his finger on it but he knew this one was different.

When he first saw her sitting on the street, she had taken his breath away. Yes, again, he realized that other ladies have had that effect on him before. Many other ladies, to be quite honest...but this one...It wasn't even her beauty that enchanted him. She was very attractive, no question about it...but it was her eyes. Maybe it was because they were magnified by the lenses of her goggles...but when their eyes first met, Sanji could've sworn he was looking into the eyes of an angel. They were eyes filled with confidence and mischief, like she was a celestial being who shared secrets and inside jokes with the world.

He couldn't help but act like a lovesick fool and fawn over the lady. He saw the laugh on her lips when he twirled over to her. He knew she thought it was ridiculous but he'd do it over again and again as long as it kept her eyes shining with amusement.

His heart had almost stopped when she gave him that bold wink and even bolder statement about being a one of a kind woman. The more time he spent with her, the more it rang true.

Then his heart _did_ stop when she fired that cannon at the Franky House. The look on her face was of pure joy and confidence. She knew exactly where to direct the ball and it did exactly what she intended. It blew the place up but didn't kill anyone. She really was an angel.

Now, it seems, the angel was very angry at him and his nakama but he was unclear why. He stuck his hands in his pockets and made his way back to the inn. His cigarette stuck between his frowning lips. He needed to tell them about this new development with Robin-chan and this Iceburg guy.

There was a pit in his stomach and he did not like where this was heading. Whatever the trouble was, it seems Robin-chan was in the middle of it. They needed to find her fast. Not only to make sure Robin-chan's life wasn't in danger, but to also take away the hate and pain in the angel's eyes. The angel looked like she was in hell.

* * *

Nana had made the rounds and secured the dock. She was about to go around again and check her work before she received word that Iceburg was awake. She ran to his room so fast that she didn't even notice. Paulie, Lulu, and Kaku were waiting right outside. She burst through the door, almost hitting Lucci right in the face.

"ICY!" she cried with relief when she saw his eyes were open. She leapt onto the bed with her arms spread wide. Tyrannosaurus, who was sitting on his chest, squeaked and scurried out of the way before she landed hard on top of Iceburg.

"Nana-san!" Kalifa protested as hurriedly closed the door, "That's too rough! You're going to kill Iceburg-san."

"It's…..okay…." Iceburg wheezed, even though his voice was shaking from the pain.

Nana didn't care and she buried her face in his blanket. "You're okay. You're okay," she whimpered, "Thank god. You scared the shit out of me!"

"Sorry...for making you worry," he rasped as the shipwrights came in and sat down in front of the bed.

"Nana," Paulie barked, "Let Iceburg-san get some rest. Stop crowding the bed!"

Nana sniffled and stuck her tongue out at the foreman. "He can rest when he's dead," she said stubbornly.

"NANA-SAN!" Kalifa and the other shipwrights gasped at her.

"It's...okay…" Iceburg wheezed again.

Nana wiped her tears with her sleeves and begrudgingly climbed off of the bed. Pygmy placed his head on the side and sniffed at Iceburg.

"About the culprits from last night…" Iceburg said slowly.

"They're still investigating," Paulie hurriedly reported, "But we'll find out who did this soon. Don't worry, Iceburg-san. Get some rest."

"I remember…I know who attacked me." Iceburg rasped.

"What?!" the shipwright exclaimed. Nana remained silent as she folded her arms across her chest and leaned her back against the wall.

"There were two...One was a big man with a mask on...The other was a tall woman with black hair. There's no mistake about it. Those dark eyes belong to Nico Robin."

"Nico...Robin?" Paulie asked.

"Yes, she's a member of the Straw Hat pirates," Kalifa answered.

"What?!" the shipwrights gasped again.

Paulie turned sharply in his seat to look at her. "One of the Straw Hats, you say?"

"Yes, I had investigated the Straw Hats when they came in yesterday," Kalifa said, "And I just had Lucci confirm it with the government."

"Coo coo!" Lucci's dove chimed in, "Yeah...when I contacted the government, they said that she's one of the Straw Hats. Coo coo!"

Kaku folded his arms across his chest and lowered his eyes. "Then...the Straw Hats are the culprits."

"What the hell?!" Lulu shouted angrily, "Did they do it to get back at us since we wouldn't fix their ship?"

Nana's head snapped over to him. "We wouldn't?"

Kaku shook his head without glancing over at Nana. "I had a look at their ship. The keel is too badly damaged. There is no way to fix it."

Nana's heart sank by the news and the image of the injured Usopp crossed her mind. Then her jaws clenched tightly at her own reaction. _It was all for show, Nana,_ she thought, _They tried to kill Icy. Don't fall into it._

"No matter what the reason," she said quietly, "The truth is that they did it. If Icy saw one of their crew members, then there's no denying it."

"We can ask them the reason when we have them all tied up," Paulie growled.

Nana unfolded her arms and stood up a little taller. "I've already told one of their members that if their captain doesn't show up within the hour, I'd send the whole town after them...so if he knows what's good for him, he'd come."

"You did what?!" the shipwrights gasped.

"Nana, I specifically asked you to stay out of it," Iceburg sighed.

"DId you really expect me to stand idly by after telling me what you saw?!" Nana countered.

"How did you even know where to find the Straw Hats?" Paulie demanded.

"He came to me," Nana admitted, "I had left some of my stuff with them when I helped them destroy the Franky House."

"YOU DID WHAT?!" Paulie roared.

"So the Straw Hat came here?" Kaku asked at the same time.

Nana shook her head, "No. Not Luffy...It was someone else. His name is 'Black Leg' Sanji."

"Oy! What the hell did you do to the Franky Family?" Paulie asked but Nana ignored him.

She frowned and fished out a scrap piece of paper from her pockets. She quickly scrawled a face, blonde hair, eyebrows, and a cigarette. She turned it over and revealed her sketch to the shipwrights. "He looks like that," she said, "So if you see him around, maybe he'll lead you to the rest of the crew."

Her audience collectively sighed in disappointment and a large sweat drop fell down each of their forehead. Nana was pretty handy when it came to tools and large mechanics but it was well known she was not great at fine arts.

"Nana-san...there's no way someone can look like that in real life," Lulu said as politely as he could.

Nana frowned and looked at her drawing. "Yeah, that's what I thought too but his eyebrows really are like that."

 _No...the eyebrows aren't the problem...It looks like he has duck lips, giant dark holes for eyes...and well...his nose looks like a cat paw,_ Lulu thought to himself but wisely kept his mouth shut. He took the drawing from Nana and stuffed it in his pocket. "Thank you, Nana-san...This is very helpful."

"AHHHHHHHHHH!" Tilestone's signature yell rang throughout the building. "Hey! There's trouble!"

Tilestone burst through the doorway and he skidded to a halt just inches away from Iceburg's bed.

"You're too loud, Tilestone!" Paulie, Kaku, and Lulu shouted at him.

"How rude!" Kalifa scolded, "You all be quiet."

Tilestone was oblivious to his peers and his eyes fell on Iceburg, who was looking at him with a blank expression. Tilestone grinned and raised his large arms in the air. "Oh! Iceburg-san! I'm really glad that you came around!" he yelled.

Paulie gritted his teeth and sent Tilestone out of the room with a heavy punch right in the center of his face. Normally, Nana would laugh at Tilestone's antics but her sense of humor was lost at the moment.

"You speak each and every word too loud," Paulie lectured from the door as Tilestone rubbed his face, "That isn't good for Iceburg-san, okay?!"

"Yeah!" Tilestone yelled back, "You're right. I'm sorry!" His eyes widened and he quickly sat up to face Paulie. "Oh, that's right! There's trouble! Listen, guys!"

"Don't come inside the room," Paulie ordered, "Speak from where you are."

"At Dock #1, the pirate Straw Hat, who came yesterday started a fight with Franky and they're wrecking the shipyard!" Tilestone reported, "Franky is also saying that Nana-san is next after this fight! Ahhhhh!"

Nana rushed over to the doorway. "He's here?!"

"Yeah," Tilestone yelled, "Franky is demanding that you-"

"No! The Straw Hat! He's here?" Nana clarified. She was about to race to her room when Paulie grabbed her by the arm.

"Let us deal with that bastard, Nana," he growled through his cigar, while Kaku and Lulu stepped out of the room to join him. Nana jerked her arm away from his hold and she looked him dead in the eyes.

"Don't you dare tell me to stay out of this," she seethed, "Hurting Icy means hurting me too...Besides…"

She placed a hand on her hips and raised her chin defiantly at Paulie. "Franky just asked for me by name…I can't ignore an invitation to fight, now, can I?"

"Nana! This isn't just some fight!" Paulie started to say but it was no use. Nana had already ran towards her room.

"Pygmy, stay here with Iceburg!" she ordered to her dog, who wagged his tail in response.

Paulie puffed on his cigar and then sighed. "Come on, guys," he barked at the shipwrights and they all ran down to Dock #1, "Let's go."

* * *

The dock was in shambles. If Nana didn't have enough motivation to insert herself into the fight, all of her morning's work was completely wasted by the damage Franky and the Straw Hat had done to the shipyard. They had also gathered quite the audience. She didn't see that though. Her focus had completely zoned into the boy in the Straw Hat, who was locked in a fierce battle with the cyborg and too busy to notice her coming with her hammer.

"Nana Special," she roared as she lifted up her hammer, "Wrathful Smash!"

Her hammer heated up once more and it hit Luffy right across his cheek. "Ahhhhhh!" he cried in pain as the heated metal burned his skin. He skidded across the floor and knocked right into a pile of lumber. Behind her, Tilestone landed a hard uppercut on Franky's face, sending him flying backwards into the debris.

"What? What happened?" the crowd gasped. The smoke cleared and then they gasped once more. "Ah that's…! The foremen from Dock #1 and Nana!"

"Who did that?" Luffy demanded and his eyes widened at the sight of Nana and her hammer, "Dog girl! Sanji just told us what happened. Honestly, we don't know what is going-"

"How dare you pull this crap, Straw Hat?" Paulie thundered, "What's your goal, Straw Hat?"

"Ow! Nana-brat!" Franky yelled, "How dare _you_ hurt my family and destroy my house?!"

Tilestone cracked his knuckles and stood protectively behind Nana, while the others gathered around her.

"We'll deal with you later, Franky," Paulie said, "We have more important business right now. Straw Hat Luffy, how do you explain yourself?"

"I came here as fast as soon as I heard the news of Ice pops!" Luffy exclaimed, "We have no idea who is behind all of this. Nana, you have to believe us. We-"

"You're a bunch of liars!" Nana suddenly screamed and it took both Paulie and Kaku to hold her back, "How could you do this to us?! All because we couldn't fix your precious ship?"

"Geez...our family wasn't enough...you messed with Galley-La too?" Franky whistled from the sidelines, "Are you guys all going through puberty and hurting everyone you come across?"

"Like I said, we didn't do anything!" Luffy shouted back.

"If you play innocent, then we'll just have to put the screws on you," Paulie said as his ropes extended from his sleeves, "Rope Action Half Knot!"

His rope grabbed Luffy by the neck and then tightened. "I can't breathe! I can't breathe!" Luffy gasped as Paulie sent him soaring into the air just to have him come crashing back down into the ground.

"You bastards! This is my fight, don't you get it?!" Franky yelled.

Nana flashed her eyes at Franky and then wielded her hammer. "Didn't we say we'll deal with you later?"

Franky couldn't believe it. "You're going to raise your hammer, at _me_ , Nana-brat?! Don't do anything you will regret later."

"I only got involved because you have no control over your own family!"

"Leave the Franky Family out of this!" Franky snapped.

"They're the ones that caused all the problems and brought it to Galley-La!" Nana roared and Tilestone took a step closer to her.

Franky smirked at them, "Oh. So you need your guardians to fight your fights, Nana-brat? Is that why you attacked my house with help from the Straw Hats? Because you can't do it alone?"

With a blinding rage, Nana charged forward with her hammer. "Nana Special!" she yelled as she pushed a button on the handle. Saw blades appeared around the edges of the head and they started whirring.

The light reflected past Franky's sunglasses as he adjusted it. "A new feature, Nana-brat? Interesting." He raised his left arm and activated his machine gun feature. He fired multiple rounds at Nana.

"You bastard! Look at who you are shooting at?" Tilestone roared.

Nana easily dodged the bullets while still running in a straight direction. After many near death experiences of flying shrapnel from failed tests and the amount of times Paulie had tried to tie her down, she had developed a sixth sense on how to avoid flying objects that were directed at her, no matter how big or small. She ran towards Franky and swung her hammer at his face. "Buzz Cut!"

He ducked just in time and the saw only cut an inch off the top of his ducktail. "Ow! Not cool, Nana-brat!" he yelled as he ran his fingers through his hair but Nana wasn't done.

"Nana Special!" she cried and this time thick rubber balloons expanded on each side of her hammer, "Mallet Ballet!"

_Squeak! Squeak! Squeak! Squeak!_

Each time the rubber balloons connected to Franky, it squeaked. It was as if Nana was hitting him with a toy hammer. However, it was still a hammer so the force was not toy like at all. Franky got knocked in the chest, the legs, multiple times across the face, and finally right in the center of his stomach, knocking him backwards.

"Luffy, we need to go," Nami hissed as she ran to her captain's side, "It doesn't seem like they're going to believe us when we say we had nothing to do with Iceburg's attack."

"What?!" Franky coughed as he sat up and stared right at Nana, "Iceburg got attacked?!"

Nana's eyes darkened and she nodded solemnly.

"He told me..." she said shakily, "He told us...that he remembered who did this to him."

She turned to face Luffy. "It was two people, one wore a mask and the other was Nico Robin. Did you come to this island to kill Iceburg from the start? Was this planned from the beginning or did you decide to do so after meeting him yesterday? Is it because we couldn't fix your ship or because we couldn't get back your money?" Her voice got louder and louder with each question, "Or did you just do it for your sick, sick pleasure?! Huh?! Just tell me why? TELL ME WHY?!"

"Nana…" Nami whispered. Her face had gone pale, "We really didn't have anything to do with-"

"So you'll play innocent until the end, huh?" Paulie interrupted as he stepped forward in front of Nana. The shipwrights crowded around her again with Tilestone and Lulu keeping an eye on Franky, while the others glared down at the Straw Hat and Nami, "Well now that we have you here, we can't leave you at large.'

"So they're the culprits?!" the crowd shouted angrily, "They did this to Iceburg?!"

"Oy, oy!" Franky shouted with anger, "Did Iceburg die?!"

Nana turned to Franky somberly and she shook her head. "No." Franky and Nana shared a look of concern and took a very brief time out from their anger at each other.

"Heaven forbid that he'd get killed by fools like them!" Paulie snapped, bringing the attention onto him, "It's because he's alive that we know who did this to him and we need to capture them before they try to do it again."

_Thwack!_

One of Kaku's caulking iron flung across Luffy's head and lodged itself in the wooden beam behind him. A shallow cut appeared across his cheek and blood dripped down from it. "Dead or alive," Kaku said as he withdrew his hand, "They don't care if you're captured alive or not. Do you know what it means to be on the wanted list? It means the world's laws won't protect you guys."

"That's right," Luffy said as he rubbed his cheek and smeared the blood off with the back of his hand. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fist. "We're outlaws...and people will accuse of doing all sorts of things...but...don't say things like that when YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT ROBIN!"

Nana inhaled sharply. She felt it in her gut. That raw emotion of fury and indignation but there was something about this anger that seemed more protective than anything. Luffy was enraged on behalf of one of his crewmembers. It made Nana think. _Maybe they didn't do it after all..._


	6. The Coming Storm

Dock #1 was reduced to Bedlam. The crowds were cheering for the capture of Nami and Luffy. They even managed to grab the redhead while the shipwrights went after the rubber man. Nana couldn't even move as she watched all that was happening around her. Icy had said he saw Nico Robin, who was confirmed to be part of the Straw Hat...but after Luffy's declaration, she couldn't shake the feeling that maybe he was telling the truth and he honestly knew nothing about the attack.

"Stop…meddling into my fight!" Franky yelled from the side.

Nana's head turned sharply towards the cyborg when she heard the sounds of metal clanging together. Franky was in the middle of connecting his forearms to a T-shaped pipe. "Don't tell me…" Nana gasped as his arms started to expand.

* * *

_\- Flashback - 3 years ago (Nana - 13-ish, Franky - 31) -_

"Ow! Ow! Nana-brat!"

Nana let out a little squeak and dropped the metal pipe she was holding. She looked guiltily behind her just as the cyborg shined a flashlight in her face. She had sneaked into his scrapyard in hopes to find some metal pieces she could use for her next project. She tightened her hold on her newest blueprint. _Busted…_ she thought to herself with a nervous frown.

"What are you super doing here this late? Go home already!" Franky shouted as he stomped down a mound of metal scraps towards her.

Nana gulped but then raised her chin up at the cyborg. "What are _you_ doing out this late?" she shot back.

"Don't turn this on me, Nana-brat," Franky snapped. When he got to closer to where she was standing, he snatched the blueprint out of her hands. He held it above her head while he took a closer look at it, "What's this? A toy?"

Nana jumped up and attempted to grab it back but the cyborg was just too tall for her. On her third jump, she lost her footing and fell hard on her backside. "Give it back," she winced, "That's mine."

Franky raised an eyebrow at the paper and then squatted down in front of her. " _This_ , Nana-brat, is a cannon. You think Iceberg is going to let you build a cannon?"

"It's not just any cannon," Nana said exasperatedly, "It's a water cannon! It'll shoot out a stream of sea water with enough force as a waterfall."

"Who are you trying to shoot? Devil Fruit users?" Franky asked.

Nana scoffed. "Of course not! Those cannons can help put out fires."

Franky blinked and stared at Iceberg's ward. _This brat's got heart,_ he mused as he looked over her blueprint again, A _nd talent...But terrible penmanship._

"You know, you super forgot to put in a pipe to connect to the water source," he said casually as he handed the blueprint back to its owner.

"No, I didn't," she snapped and pointed at her drawing, "Do you need to fix your eyes? It's right there!"

"Ah, my mistake," Franky said and then he grinned, "I see the pipe...but where's the water source?"

"It's going to be the sea. Duh!" Nana scoffed again.

"And how is the pipe going to connect to the sea?"

"Obviously, through the hole of the ship."

"You're going to put a hole in the ship?"

"Yeah! Right at the bottom so that the cannon can suck up the water and…" her voice began to fade when she realized her oversight. She blinked and looked over at Franky, "The ship will sink, won't it?"

"Yep! Like a super rock," Franky said with a thumbs up and started to walk back home, "Unless…"

"Unless what?!" Nana shouted as she scrambled to catch up to him, "You know how to fix it?"

Franky flashed her a confident grin and took the blueprint out of her hands. He placed his flashlight between his teeth and started to draw over her design. "See...if you make a hole right here on a ship and then you do this...and then you add that…"

Nana's eyes widened and they grew brighter and brighter with every edit and tip Franky made on her blueprint. When he was done, he smacked it hard against her chest. "Here you go, Nana-brat. This cannon is now officially Franky approved."

"Oof," she grunted and caught the paper, "Thanks, Franky!"

Then she realized something and her eyes widened again but this time with fear. "You're not going to tell Icy that I was here, will you?"

Franky smirked, "What's in it for me?"

"Please don't tell him!" she panicked, "He's going to get mad at me for being here again and he'll take away all my tools for good this time. I'll do anything!"

"Anything?" Franky said with a raised eyebrow, "Well...you could always call me your Big Bro and join my family."

"Tch," Nana scoffed, "I will never call you my bro. You might want me to join your family but who says I want _you_ to be in _my_ family?"

"What?! You little brat-" Franky snapped but then took a moment to collect himself, "Fine. How about this? I am looking for some parts myself. If you can help me find all of them within the hour, I won't say a word."

"How many parts?" she asked suspiciously.

"36."

"36 parts in one hour?!" Nana gasped.

"Alright. I guess I'm going to super call Iceberg now and tell him that his little brat has been sneaking out late at night, diving into my scrapyard, and having me look over her designs again," Franky said with an exaggerated sigh as he walked away.

"No no no!" Nana scrambled to catch up to him again. "I'll do it. Just tell me what parts you need!"

Franky casually handed out a list to her. She scanned through it and a curious look crossed her face. "You're building a vent?" she asked.

Both of Franky's eyebrows raised this time. "Good eye, Nana-brat...Good eye. Yes, I'm building a vent but not just any vent. It's going to be like an air cannon. It'll shoot out a burst of air that's faster than the speed of sound."

"Cool…" Nana breathed.

"I know. Super cool," Franky agreed, "I'm going to call it…"

* * *

"Coup de…" Franky shouted as he fired a blast of air towards the shipwrights. The people around them screamed and ran out of the way. Nana darted forward as fast as she could. She skidded on her knees at the last second and pushed Franky's arms up by his elbows, "...Vent!"

She didn't get there fast enough and instead of pointing straight up, the bullet flew at an elevated angle towards the tip of a crane. "Don't hurt my dock!" Nana seethed.

The bullet hit the crane and sent it crashing down on the people below, creating a huge cloud of dust. Nana sighed in relief since she managed to at least save the half built ship under the crane. The shipwrights had scattered in order to avoid Franky's attack and so had most of the crowd. Nami and Luffy were making their way out, while the dust was still settling, in an attempt to escape during the chaos. Nana dashed forward and grabbed them each by the shoulder.

"Nana!" Nami pleaded, "Please you have to believe us. We had-"

"You said you wanted to see Iceberg?" Nana asked stonily.

"Ah," Luffy replied, "I want to hear it from him...If he really saw Robin..."

Nana took a deep breath and nodded. "Come with me. I can sneak you in."

"Oh, thank you-," Nami started to say but Nana shot her a glare.

"I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing this for Galley-La. I want answers," Nana hissed as she pulled them behind some rubble.

* * *

Kalifa could not believe what she was seeing or hearing. She had opened the door expecting to see Nana and the shipwrights but instead it was Nana and two of the Straw Hat pirates. "You want me to what?!"

"Let us in so they can talk to Icy," Nana replied solemnly, "And stand guard so that no one else comes in."

"But, these people attacked Iceberg-san! They're going to-"

"Kalifa," Iceberg interrupted from inside the room, "Please do as she says...As a favor to me."

"Iceberg...san…" Kalifa's eyes widened as she looked at her boss. He nodded at her from his bed. She hesitantly opened the door and obeyed. "I'll be outside then if you need anything."

"Thank you, Kalifa," Iceberg said

Nana walked over to Iceberg, the door clicking softly shut behind her. He was stroking Tyrannosaurus with his hand, while Pygmy was licking his other. She gave Pygmy a pat on the head and she sat down on the edge of Iceberg's bed. She put a protective hand on his leg. Nami sat on the armchair next to the door, while Luffy remained standing.

"Thanks for agreeing to see me, Ice-pops," Luffy said.

"I doubt Nana would've brought you here if you intended to kill me," Iceberg replied, "She's very trusting but she's not stupid."

"Thanks, I think," Nana grumbled.

Iceberg took a deep breath and he stared Luffy right in the eyes. "Last night, I saw Nico Robin, a member of your pirate crew, with my own eyes...That's the honest truth. "

"That can't be right," Nami protested.

"Was it really Robin?" Luffy asked.

Suddenly, Iceberg pulled out a pistol from under the blanket and cocked it. Nana's eyes widened. "Icy…"

Iceberg aimed it at Luffy. "Don't say a word. Your words no longer mean anything. I agreed to let you in here because I have a favor to ask. Let me see Nico Robin. Now!"

"But I don't even know where she is!" Luffy protested.

"Icy!" Nana immediately jumped up to her feet and stood in front of Luffy, "Don't shoot him!"

"Nana?" Luffy and Nami were aghast.

Iceberg's eyes narrowed at his ward. "Nana…" he warned.

Nana shook her head furiously. "I won't allow it! You can't kill him or Nami."

"Nana, it's fine. I'm a rubber man anyways and-," Luffy started to say but Nana held firm.

"No killing."

Iceberg sighed and lifted the gun up to the sky. "I wasn't going to kill him, Nana. I just wanted to try my chance in talking to Nico Robin."

"Oh…" Nana dropped her arms and stared at Iceberg. _Does he believe Luffy is telling the truth?_

"'Straw Hat' Luffy, I demand to see Nico Robin," Iceberg demanded again, "I don't care if you get her here or someone else from the city finds her. I'm going to pull the trigger in 5 seconds and people will come rushing in. What you decide to do at this point is up to you. 5...4…"

"Nami, let's go!" Luffy cried. He wrapped his arm around Nami's waist and jumped out the window.

"Ahhhhhhh!" Nami screamed as they fell out.

"3…2...1."

_Bang!_

Nana stood frozen in shock as dozens of craftsmen stormed into the room with Kalifa. Everything around her seemed to be happening in a blur. She fell back onto an armchair and tried to gather her thoughts. Someone had tried to kill Iceberg. That was for sure. Nico Robin had something to do with it but what her intentions are seem to be unclear as her own captain didn't even know. Nana took a deep breath. She really did want to believe in Luffy. _Am I being naive again?_

"Nana…"

Iceberg's voice broke her thoughts and she looked up at him. The room was now empty and only Nana and Kalifa remained with Iceberg. "Icy…" Nana asked quietly, "What's going on? Why would anyone want to kill you?"

"Aqua Laguna is coming," Iceberg said and stared out the window, "You should make sure all the docks are ready to house the evacuation and since I can't move right now, you'll also need to check the sea train for me. The people need us right now."

Nana slammed her fist down on the armchair. "How can you send me away at a time like this? What if that Nico Robin comes back? What if she brings more people? What if-"

"What if the storm comes and the city isn't ready?" Iceberg replied calmly, "The city needs our help, Nana, and you need to make the rounds for me."

Nana fell silent and she clenched her fists tightly to her side. She knew he was right but why did it feel so wrong? She turned her frustration on Kalifa, "Make sure all the craftsmen are guarding the main office. I want Paulie and the other shipwrights from Dock #1 seated right outside this door...and if anything happens to Iceberg, I'll be holding you responsible."

"How rude," Kalifa gasped and then adjusted her glasses. "I'll see what I can do, Nana-san."

Nana took one last look at Iceberg. He smiled grimly at her. "I'll be fine, Nana…Go...and take Pygmy with you too."

Nana gulped and begrudgingly left the room. Her feet felt heavy and everything in her gut was telling her to turn back. She took a deep breath. She passed by two craftsmen, who had been standing guard since this morning. They looked at her with concern. "Nana-san, is Iceberg-san okay?"

Nana sucked in a breath and put on a brave smile, "Yes. He just wants me to go check the docks and the sea train to make sure everything is in order for Aqua Laguna. Have you guys gone home and prepared for it? Are your family members packed for the evacuation?"

"Oh, Iceberg-san and Nana-san are so selfless!" one of them burst into tears, "Thinking of us at a time like this."

"Idiot!" the other one yelled and hit him in the back of the head, "Don't make Nana-san more worried than she is. The situation is tense enough as it is."

Nana gave them a weak smile and then headed into her room. When she opened the door, it was stopped midway by something. She looked down and saw that it was her waterboard and her messenger bag that was blocking her way. She sighed and picked the messenger bag up, while Pygmy beelined for his bed. It had only been this morning since she got her stuff back but it felt like ages ago.

She walked across the room and placed her waterboard on the shelf where it usually sat, next to empty copper canisters and steel pistons. When she flipped open her messenger bag, she saw an envelope lying near the top. She took it out and slowly opened it to find a five page letter.

_My Dearest Nana-chan,_

_How do I even begin to describe meeting you? A miracle bestowed from the grace of-_

Nana exasperatedly shuffled through the first four pages of love notes. She couldn't help but notice, though, that out of all the love letters she had received in the past, his had the most flourish. When she got to the last page, she saw the point of his letter.

_You left your precious possessions after aiding us at the Franky House. Please excuse us ill-mannered pirates as we didn't even get a chance to properly thank you for your help. You descended upon us like a heavenly angel and aided us at our time of need. I'd like to express our deepest gratitude on behalf of the rest of the crew, including Usopp._

_Please do not worry if you have not found any information in regards to the blackmarket. You've been troubled by us enough._

_I would say this to you in person but it appears that you are not allowed visitors today so I leave this note with your belongings and with great care and love. If you wish to see us, you are more than welcome to visit us at the local inn in the city. We are staying there until we can secure a suitable ship to take us to the New World._

_Your servant,_

_Sanji_

_P.S. I hope Pygmy is healing up well._

"He's got good penmanship," Nana murmured as she read and re-read the letter, "And he remembered Pygmy..."

She folded the letter and looked over at Pygmy, who was sitting up in his bed and wagging his tail. "A person wouldn't write this if they just attempted to kill someone close to you, right?"

Pygmy shook his head and sniffed. Nana nodded. "That's what I thought…" she said and then re-read the letter again. She didn't know what she was looking for but she was trying hard to find it in his writing. Finally, she balled it up in frustration and threw it in her metal garbage can. "What am I even doing?! I barely know the guy!"

She took a deep breath, stared at the wad of papers sitting on top of her trash, and then groaned while taking it out. She smoothed it with the palm of her hands and reread it again. Pygmy barked and she looked over at her pet. "Yes, I know. I told him I hated him, punched him, and then told him I never wanted to see him again," she said, "And yes, maybe I was jumping to conclusions...but who was I supposed to believe? Icy or a group of pirates I met less than a day ago?"

Pygmy whined and lowered his head. Nana sighed, "It's not like I can go find him and apologize now. Aqua Laguna is about to hit and who knows if that Nico Robin person is going to come back and finish the job?! This is a serious situation." She looked frustratingly at the letter in her hand. She clenched her jaw and crumpled it back into a ball. "And this is not the time to be deciphering letters from strange men!"

She raised her arm back to throw the letter back in the trash can but found herself unable to move a muscle. She closed her eyes and took another deep breath before stuffing the letter in her pants pocket. She then started to repack her messenger bag with carefully selected tools.

"Come on," she mumbled to Pygmy and slung her messenger bag over her shoulder. She left the room with her hammer on her back and she picked up her waterboard on the way out.

As soon as she left Dock #1 to check on the other six docks, she was flooded with more concerned craftsmen and citizens. They all wanted to know what was happening and how Iceberg was. She had to pretend and tell everyone that everything was fine and under control. She had been around Iceberg enough to know when it was time to be honest and when it was time to do what was best for the people. Their focus should be on getting their affairs sorted before the storm hit. No use getting them all worked up over Iceberg. That's something Nana was doing enough for the entire city.

She put herself on auto-pilot and kept herself preoccupied with reinforcing walls, blocking in doors, shuttering windows, and anything else she could keep her hands busy with. Before she knew it, the sun had set and the first group of people were already heading into the docks for the night.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with Iceberg-san, Nana-chan," some older aunties said to Nana on their way into the dock.

"Stay strong, Nana-chan. We'll get whoever it is that did this," another group of men said to her.

She could only give them a brittle smile and nod. People were also starting to whisper about the Straw Hats and they were swapping theories on what had happened but every time one of them saw Nana heading their way, they would grow quiet out of respect. The fact that they were treating her differently was a constant reminder to Nana about the situation. It made her sick to her stomach. She could feel their pity and concern without even looking at them.

She was down to her last errand and it was late in the evening. She checked the sturdiness of the walls of Dock #7 one more time before turning to her pet. "Pygmy, let's go to the station," she said as she put on her goggles.

She held onto her waterboard tightly in one hand as she grabbed Pygmy's saddle horn with another. She jumped on Pygmy's back and they ran through the streets of Water 7. The winds were already blowing strong but her and Pygmy had learned early on that their combined weight, with the help of her hammer, was enough to face harsh winds. Her goggles also made sure she could see clearly. The only real threat of Aqua Laguna was the water because Nana didn't know how to swim, which was a very sore subject for her.

When she reached Blue Station, she was relieved to see that it was empty. Last year, a couple of people thought it would be safe to stay in there and she had barely gotten them out in time. The two station operators were busy prepping the track for the 11 PM train. One stationmaster was short and fat while the other was tall and skinny. They were surprised to see Nana when she came up to them.

"Nana-san!" the skinny one exclaimed, "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be home?"

"Tch," Nana snorted as she rested her hammer against her shoulders and leaned her waterboard against a pillar, "And leave you two to take care of the Puffing Tom? Yeah right."

"Nana-san," the fat one laughed, "Everything is fine. We have already checked everything. The only thing left is to find out who these government officials are who requested the private train."

Nana was in no mood to gossip. "Did you check the engine room for blockage?"

"Yes," the fat one said with a solemn nod.

"Did you add the reinforcement to the tracks?"

"Yes," he said again

"Water supply good?"

"We have more than enough."

"Wind grate?"

There was a pause and Nana raised an eyebrow. "You guys didn't add the wind grate?"

"Ah…." The fat one started to sweat, while the skinny one wrung his hands nervously, "No."

Nana shrugged and headed towards the station's storage room, which was down the hall and away from the tracks. "Good thing I'm here then."

She paused when she reached a certain pillar. She placed her hand on it and looked it up and down. She turned her back on it and leaned against it. She lowered herself so her eye level was only 4 feet off the ground. Everything on the first floor of the station was visible from that point. It was a perfect place for a seven year old girl to sell her creations.

She looked at the Puffing Tom and she remembered how awestruck she was when she saw Iceberg come in with his tools. She tried to hide it and play it cool. She smirked as she remembered all that attitude she gave him in order to impress him. In reality, she was hungry, tired, and terrified. Nana's eyes started to get warm and she closed her eyes to stop the tears from falling. _No, Nana! Now is not the time!,_ she thought as she knocked the pillar with the back of her head.

She got back up to a standing position and looked down at Pygmy, who wagged his tail. "You weren't even in my life then," she said quietly, "It was really when my life started, you know…"

She shook her head to clear it and made her way further into the station. When she got to the storage room, she opened the door with her key and set her hammer on the floor and her messenger bag on the table. She flipped it open and started to pull out various tools. "Let's see…I'll need...this….that...Definitely this…" she said as she placed them into an empty wooden tool box. She paused when she suddenly felt like she was being watched. She looked down at Pygmy, who sniffed the air.

Out of nowhere, Pygmy's eyes lit up. He barked and then stuffed his muzzle into Nana's pocket.

"What the-" she yelled as he yanked out the balled up letter. Small screws and cogs tumbled out of her pocket in the process and Pygmy raced out of the room. Nana scratched her head in confusion.

"Oy, oy! Don't rip my shirt!" came an indignant response.

Within seconds, Pygmy was back again and this time, instead of a crumpled paper in his mouth, he held the hem of Sanji's shirt. The blonde was holding the ball curiously in his own hands. When his eyes met Nana's, he gulped.


	7. A Private Tour of the Puffing Tom

This place made the angel very sad. Sanji had spotted her coming, riding on the back of that furry animal and carrying that surfing contraption of hers. He was waiting at the train station for signs of Robin-chan. He never expected to see the angel here. She had said that she never wanted to see him again and he was not going to defy a lady’s request so he did the only thing he could think of. He hid behind one of the marble pillars.

When she got off the back of Pygmy, she had bit her lip and straightened her spine before walking into the station, like she was mentally preparing herself. The entire time she talked to the two station masters, he could tell she was putting on a brave front. The stiffness of her movements told him she was on guard and the dragging of her feet told him that she did not want to be here. The angel was still in her hell. 

He watched her lean against a pillar and look around the station from there. He wasn’t sure why but that seemed to make her even more sad. When she walked off, he sneaked by it to see what was so special about that spot. Someone had carved the number 7 at the base of the pillar. He brushed his fingers against the etching as if he could soak up the answers by touch. He fished a cigarette out of his pocket and lit it between his lips. 

He took a deep puff and followed her through the station. She went into a room and he hid in a nearby broom closet. He was fully aware that this was the type of thing that the shitty morimo would deem creepy and pervy but Sanji couldn’t help himself. He was drawn to this angel like a moth to a flame. 

He was quite surprised to find the dog opening the door to his room and wagging his tail at him. He had something in his mouth and he dropped it at Sanji’s feet. Sanji bent down to pick it up and then he realized it was his letter. Before he could react, he found himself being dragged towards the angel by the bottom of his shirt.

And now, he was standing in front of the angel, who had specifically asked him to stay away from her, while her pet wagged his tail at the both of them. 

“Nana-chan,” he said apologetically as the ashes dropped from the lit cigarette on his lips, “I’m sorry to bother you. I’ll just-”

“You were watching me?” the angel asked bluntly. Her eyes were not angry anymore. Instead, they looked slightly hollow and melancholy.

“Yes. I saw you come into the station but you said you never wanted to see me again...so I hid,” Sanji admitted. This angel was making him nervous and he couldn’t tell what she was thinking or feeling.

“Well, that was before I thought you guys tried to kill Iceberg,” Nana grunted with a shrug.

Sanji blinked. “Before? So you don’t think so anymore?”

Nana took a deep breath. “No...I actually don’t.”

“Na...na…-chwaaaaannnn!”  Sanji’s eyes widened with relief and a goofy smile crossed his face. His angel was  no longer mad at him. He was back in his angel’s good graces! He was about to raise his arms and run over to her when she put up a hand to stop him. 

“Don’t,” she said firmly, “Don’t do that.”

He was stunned and his arms froze in the air. “Do…do what?’

“Whatever that is!” she snapped and gestured to his posture, “I’d rather you act like the fighting guy in the Franky House rather than the guy on the canals. Especially now…”

Sanji dropped his arms and gaped at her, trying to figure out his next move. All he had wanted to do was bring out her laugh that sounded better than a perfectly tuned symphony orchestra but now he realized she was in too deep of a funk for that to happen. Something was very much troubling the angel and he wanted nothing more than to just fix it for her.

The angel turned her attention back to her tools and rubbed her neck. “I’m sorry,” she sighed, “I didn’t mean to snap. I just need...to concentrate and be serious right now.”

She picked up a wrench on the table and her knuckles whitened at her grip. “The city is about to get hit by Aqua Laguna and I need to make sure everything is in order. The docks are all done but there’s still a ton for me to do. Iceberg is counting on me...He’s...He’s...” 

A rattling sound interrupted her and she glanced down to see that the wrench was shaking furiously in her hand. “I...I…” her voice turned into a whisper and it started to tremble as well, “I need to get to work.”  

With two long strides, Sanji was in front of the angel. He pulled the wrench out of her grip and set it aside with one hand while pulling her close to him with another. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and he could feel her stiffen at first.  “Nana-chan,” he said solemnly, “Let me know how I can help. I will do everything I can to help. Just tell me what’s wrong.”

Suddenly, the angel was clutching the front of his shirt and sobbing into it. “I-I-I-Icy...Icy…” she wailed, “He might die tonight and I won’t be there to stop it...”

Then she paused for breath and let loose a stream of obscenities that shocked the blonde cook. “...All because that stubborn bastard cares about this city too damn much and he’d rather send me off to do his fucking job than for me to actually take care of him.” 

She cursed and cried into his shirt. “I never asked to be part of the shitty mayor’s office. I signed up to be a fucking mechanic and blacksmith. It’s not my responsibility to keep this city safe. I need to...I need to keep  _ him  _ safe. It’s not fair. Why do I have to be doing this shit when everything inside me is telling me to stay with him?! If he fucking dies on me, I’m going to kill him. I know that doesn’t make any fucking sense but that’s how I feel...so deal with it, damn it!”

_ This angel has quite the mouth, _ Sanji thought with a small smile as he continued to hold her.

“Nana-san!” one of the stationmasters called, “Are you okay? Need help with the grate?”

“Shit,” Nana muttered before she released Sanji’s shirt from her grasp. She wiped her eyes with the back of her sleeve and looked up at him, “I have to go.” 

Sanji nodded and he reluctantly withdrew his hold. “I understand, Nana-chan,” he said softly as he took a step back.

She grabbed her tool box and started to make her way out but then she paused at the exit. She turned to him. “Do you want to come with me?” 

Sanji almost dropped his cigarette. “Really? Are you sure?”

“Hey, I’m just taking you up on your offer to help,” Nana shrugged and smiled at him, “I’ll give you a real VIP experience. A private tour of the Puffing Tom with the city’s best mechanic. I need the distraction anyways...” 

It was a forced smile but a small light of amusement flickered in her eyes. Sanji took the cigarette out of his mouth and he let out a long exhale. It was his version of relief.  _ It was a small step to making the angel happy again but I’ll take what I can get. _ He put his hands in his pockets and smiled back at her, “Anywhere with you, Nana-chan, is a VIP experience.”

The angel gave him a more genuine smile, albeit it was still quite small, and then gripped her toolbox tighter in her hands. “Great! Can you also grab my messenger bag for me?”

Sanji looked over at the table and then smoothly flung her messenger bag over his shoulder. He then walked over to Nana and offered his arm. She placed her hand around the crook of it with a wry smile tugging at the corner of her lips. “Lead the way, Nana-chan,” he said as they walked back to the Puffing Tom together with Pygmy trotting dutifully behind them.

The stationmasters were stunned when they saw her appear around the corner with a strange man. 

“Nana-san!” the skinny stationmaster exclaimed, “Who is that?”

“This is my friend-”

“Prince...Mr. Prince,” Sanji answered smoothly as he puffed on his cigarette, “I’m here to help Nana-chan with the...er…”

“Wind grate,” Nana answered.

“Right...that thing,” Sanji said. Then his eyes narrowed at the two, “So now if you two idiots will get out of our way...You’re wasting Nana-chan’s precious time with your questions!” 

“Yes sir!!!” the stationmasters shrieked as they scrambled out of their way. Nana let out a tiny laugh, which made Sanji’s heart sing.

“Those two are really big gossips. They’re probably going to think you’re my secret boyfriend or something,” Nana warned with a raised eyebrow. 

_ Is that an invitation?!  _ Sanji thought excitedly in his mind. All of his willpower was focused on him not getting a nosebleed by the proximity to this angel. She was holding onto his arm quite tightly and every now and then he would feel his elbow brushed against her side. It was all he could do not to think about what part of her body that was. 

She led him to the front of the train. When she let go of his arms and squatted on the platform to get a closer look at the Puffing Tom, Sanji was disappointed that the heavenly moment was over. The wind was blowing furiously and she positioned her goggles over her eyes and tightened her helmet around her head. Her hair blew all around her but she squatted stoically and unmoving.

“Nana-chan, you should be careful. The storm-” Sanji started to say but Nana pointed to the hammer on her back, with her eyes still glued to the train.   
  


“This holds me down,” she said loudly to him. She muttered something under her breath but Sanji couldn’t hear her because the wind carried it away. She then got back up to her feet, removed her hammer, and went back into the station. Sanji started to follow her but she put up a hand. “Stay there. I’ll be right back.”

When she returned, she was carrying a steel grate the width of a small shed on her back. “Nana-chan!” Sanji’s jaw dropped as he rushed over to her, “That’s way too heavy to-”

“Stand back,” Nana ordered and effortlessly carried it to the front of the train. It landed with a loud crash on the platform floor. She dusted off her hands and grinned at Sanji, “If I couldn’t even lift that by myself, Tilestone would never let me hear the end of it.”

“Who?” Sanji asked.

“Nevermind,” Nana said and then looked over at Pygmy. “Alright, boy, you’re up.”

Pygmy barked and then jumped off the platform with a loud splash. Nana carefully hopped off after him and onto the tracks. Sanji couldn’t help but notice a look of concern had flashed across her face before she got into the water. The water was about knee high and when she got to the front of the train, she turned to face it. Pygmy stood directly behind her and held the back of her shirt between his teeth. She looked up at Sanji. “Can you hand me the S-wrench please?” she asked.

“The what?” Sanji was confused.

“The S wrench,” Nana repeated. When Sanji blinked back in confusion she rolled her eyes jovially, “Just hand me the box.” 

He felt like a clumsy fool as he lifted the toolbox and held it in front of her for her to pick out the exact tool she needed. He felt like an even bigger idiot when she pulled out a wrench that was literally in the figure S.  _ Right...I should’ve known that, _ he thought.

She used both hands to apply pressure to the wrench and was working hard to take out all the screws that held the front of the train. She placed them neatly in her toolbox one by one as not to lose any of them.

She looked up to see Sanji looking curiously at her. “Frog catcher,” she shouted up at him.

“What?”

“This part is called a pilot,” she said with a pat to the triangular metal front of the train, “It’s supposed to help deflect obstacles on the track. Usually it’s Yokozuna, this really big frog, who is blocking the way so we’ve named it the frog catcher. I’m just adding the grate behind it so that the train doesn’t get affected by the stormy winds.”

“Oh...and what is Pygmy doing?” Sanji asked as he looked at the dog, who was still biting Nana’s shirt.

“He’s holding me down in case the water level rises above my chest,” Nana replied. She paused and then looked at Sanji in the eyes. “I can’t swim.”

She raised an eyebrow at him, as if daring him to question her lack of ability but he held his tongue. “Don’t you want to know why I can’t swim?” she asked a little defensively.

“Lots of people can’t do lots of things, Nana-chan,” Sanji said wisely.

Nana let out a scoff and then she stilled herself. The way the water was ebbing and flowing around her made her very uncomfortable. “What time is it?” she asked Sanji.

Sanji drew his cigarette out of his mouth and glanced up at the clock on the top of the station. ”9:30, why?”

A concerned look crossed Nana’s face and she closed her eyes to concentrate on the water’s movements. “Pygmy,” she murmured, “Do you feel it too?”

“Moof! Moof!” came the muffled reply as Pygmy with his mouthful of fabric.

“What’s wrong, Nana-chan?”

“The Aqua Laguna…the reports said it won’t be hitting us directly until around midnight...and if the waves are already coming in this strong…” she said slowly and she took a deep breath, “Then this might be the largest storm we’ve seen yet.”

She gripped the wrench tighter in her hands and turned her attention on Sanji, “I don’t know what you plan on doing, but you shouldn’t stay here. You should seek shelter at one of our docks.”

Sanji let out a long puff of smoke, “Thank you for your concern, Nana-chan...but I’m waiting for someone here.” 

Nana nodded and returned to her work, “Well, whoever this person is, you should get them and get to the docks as soon as possible.”

She badly wanted to ask Sanji who he was meeting with. Was it the Straw Hats or does he know someone from Water 7? But she knew it was none of her business and Nana usually didn’t bother with anyone else’s business so she was a little surprised she cared in the first place. She was a little annoyed at herself and turned her frustration at the task at hand. She was here to work and she wasn’t planning on doing a piss poor job of it.

Sanji was mesmerized by Nana’s work as if she was doing special performance just for him. Every movement was calculated and done carefully but with no hesitation and lots of strength. She would do three things, lean back to check her work, and then continue on to the next three steps. She never had to backtrack and she never fumbled. No energy was wasted and every tool she had brought with her she had used. 

By the time she was done, the water was getting closer to her waist and Sanji helped pull her out of the water. Pygmy jumped back himself and shook the water off of his fur, splashing Sanji and Nana in the process. 

“Gahhh! Watch it!” Sanji shouted at Pygmy while he draped his suit jacket over Nana’s shoulder to keep her warm.    
  
“We’re gonna get wet because of the storm anyways,” she said, “But you can try to stay dry for as long as you can. Want to go inside the train? I’ll give you a tour.”

Sanji nodded, “I’d like that very much, Nana-chan.”

She climbed aboard the train and into the front car, which was the engine room. She took a deep breath and admired all the gears, levers, pipes, and metal work like a painter at an art museum. “Isn’t this beautiful?” she breathed as Sanji stepped into the room. 

Her back was turned to him and with the rain starting to fall outside and the tension of the given circumstances, it was a moment that Sanji just couldn’t pass up.  _ Now’s my chance!  _ Sanji thought as passion clouded his judgement. He was just about to grab her by the waist and give her a romantic embrace when she stepped forward at the last second and out of his reach. 

She ran a hand lovingly over the controls and dials of the engine room. “Did you know,” she said quietly and oblivious to a certain frustrated chef behind her, “...that this train is the life of this city? It’s the city’s soul and it all started from a blueprint.”

Her hands brushed against the levers and she gripped one of them in her hand just to feel the weight of it. “It took ten years to complete this…and Icy was one of the men who helped build it.”

“I...I didn’t know that, Nana-chan,” Sanji replied as he pushed his hair out of his eye, only to have it fall forward again. He lit a new cigarette and took a deep drag.  _ Damn it. I was so close! _

“This was all built by Tom’s Workers,” Nana said and tapped at a steam gauge to inspect it, “There were only three of them and they did the work of an entire shipyard. It was Tom-san and his two disciples, Iceberg and Cutty Flam.” 

She paused and looked back at Sanji. “I’m actually not even supposed to mention Cutty Flam or Tom-san,” she hesitated when she realized what she was telling Sanji and she turned to him, “I don’t even know why I’m telling you this...I guess...I guess it’s because you make me feel-”

_ Boom! _

Nana’s eyes widened. She flung Sanji’s jacket back at him and she ran out of the train. The sound was faint and out in the distance but Nana knew an explosion when she heard one. 

“Nana-chan, what’s wrong?” Sanji shouted from the engine room.

She whirled around. “Did you hear that?”

“Hear what?” Sanji was confused as he leaned out the door of the train.

“Woof, woof!” Pygmy barked. He raced out between Sanji’s leg and jumped on to the platform,

Nana nodded at him, “Yeah that’s what I thought.”

“You were asking the dog?!” Sanji asked incredulously. Nana climbed onto his back and Pygmy rushed forward. He ran past her hammer and she picked it up without even stopping. 

“I’m sorry, Sanji!” she called behind her as they headed back towards Dock #1, “Maybe I’ll give you a tour next time!”

“Don’t worry about it…” Sanji yelled back as they disappeared from sight. He took another puff of his cigarette and ran his hand through his hair. “Be safe, Nana-chan.”

Pygmy ran against the wind as fast as he could with Nana clinging to his back.  _ Please be alive, Icy. Please. Please. Please. Please. _

When they got closer and closer to Dock #1, Nana’s heart dropped. There was a burning fire right at the center of it, where she knew the main office was. “Shit! Fuck! Damn it!” she cursed as Pygmy dashed on.

They skidded to a halt right in front of the building, where hundreds of injured craftsmen had gathered. Some were coming out of the front door, carrying the wounded and others were just standing around in shock.

“Don’t just fucking stand there!” Nana roared as she jumped off of Pygmy’s back. “Get the water cannons!!!”

“Nana-san!” they gasped, “What are you-”

“Shut up and do something, damn it, before the whole building collapses!,” she shouted. “Why didn’t anyone get the water cannons?!”

“No one knows how to use it except you, Nana-san…” someone said nervously.

Nana was about to chew him out when she stopped short. She saw that a group of men were huddled around something on the side. She pushed past them and gasped. Nami was lying crumpled on the grass and she seemed to be unconscious. 

“Nami?!” Nana ran to her and tried to lift her up.

“Nana-san? How do you know this girl? Isn’t she part of the pirate crew that-”

“Shut up!” Nana hissed through gritted teeth, “You guys have been stopping and staring at this girl instead of saving the people inside? Our men are in there!!! Rethink your priorities!” 

“Y-Y-Yes, Nana-san!” they said as they scurried off. 

Nana looked up at the burning building and she took a deep breath. “Pygmy, stay with her,” she said as she got to her feet. Pygmy wagged his tail and Nana leaned Nami up against him. 

She continued towards the shed and kicked open the door. She went inside and pulled out two cannons with a rope in each hand. At the end of each cannon was a thick rubber hose that was connected to something inside the shed. 

“Where the fuck is Iceberg? Has anyone seen him?” Nana yelled as she pulled the cannons to the front of the burning building.

“No..no one has seen him yet but the foremen from Dock #1 were in there so I’m sure they’ve gotten him out-”

“Idiots!” she shouted back at them, “Don’t say ‘you’re sure’ when you don’t know it as a fact.” 

She dropped the ropes and started to point at different groups of men, “You three! Go find them! You two! Go turn on the the water source and the rest of you grab the hoses!”

“Yes, Nana-san!”

She aimed her cannons and directed the first one at the main door and the second one at the room next to Iceberg’s window on the fourth floor. That room Nana knew was empty. At least she hoped it was.  _ Please be alive.  _ “Ready?!”

“Yes, Nana-san!”

“Nana Special...Hydro Blast!” 

_ Swooooshhhh!  _

She fired her cannons and thick jets of water burst forth from it. Each cannon had the power of one hundred hoses. The water broke through the front door of the main office as well as the window on the fourth floor, immediately squelching the flames around it. “Good job, babies,” Nana muttered as she put her hands on both cannons as the water started to die down as well. 

_ Crash! _

Something flew out of Iceberg’s window and landed in front of Nana as steam and smoke billowed out of Iceberg’s room. It was a four legged animal with two people on it's back. Nana’s eyes widened at the hat the animal was wearing. The reindeer spotted Nami on Pygmy. Pygmy whined to him and the reindeer nodded his head. He dropped the katana in his mouth and then collapsed. Pygmy immediately ran over to the reindeer and started to lick his face to clean his wounds.

“Chopper?!” Nana cried as she rushed forward to him. Then she realized who he was carrying. “Icy?! Paulie?!”

She pulled the two men off of the reindeer and she yelled at the crowd that had gathered around them. “Stop staring, you idiots! We only stopped the fire at the front of the building. Your work is not done yet, you fucking slackers.”

“Yes, Nana-san,” they said and scurried off.

“And someone give me a medical kit and help me treat these people!” she thundered. One of her hands clutched the front of Iceberg’s shirt while the other one held onto Paulie. She stared at their faces and tried to remind herself to breathe.  _ Don’t panic, Nana...Don’t panic… _

She couldn’t stop herself and her mind went back to that moment when Sanji held her in the storage room. She had felt safe and she was going to tell him that in the engine room but she didn’t get the chance. She closed her eyes and steeled her nerves.  _ God, why am I thinking about that now? Of all times?! _


	8. Warehouse #2

Nana was busy tending to Paulie's wounds when she heard a collective gasp in Iceberg's direction. "Iceberg-san is awake!" someone shouted.

She grabbed the nearest guy to her by the pant leg and roughly pulled him down. "You," she barked and slammed his hand against the towel she was holding, "Press down here and hold it until the bleeding stops. If Paulie dies, you die. Got it?!"

The craftsman nodded nervously and she rushed over to Iceberg. He was lying on his back and his eyes were open. He looked calmly back at Nana and his unruffled expression made something in Nana snap.

"What the fuck, Icy?!" she roared and she slapped him hard across the face.

"Nana-san!" the craftsman protested, aghast at her brutality, "He's still very wounded-"

Nana lifted Icy's head by his shirt collar and she shook him slightly. "You told me you'd be okay. You told me everything was going to be fine. You said-"

"The woman is awake too!" Another person shouted from the other side and Nana stopped her lecture. Her eyes flicked over to Pygmy and she saw that Nami was trying to get back on her feet.

"Should we ask her where the other Straw Hats are and capture them?" someone asked.

_Thwack!_

He was instantly hit in the head by a flying rock, courtesy of Dock #1's mechanic. "Anyone else got any big ideas?" Nana demanded and she glared angrily around the group.

"No...Nana-san," they mumbled.

"Nana…" Iceberg grunted, "Take me to her."

"Iceberg-san, you shouldn't be moving!" people exclaimed around them but Nana ignored their protest. She lifted Iceberg by the arm and put it around her shoulder. She moved him gently but swiftly across the lawn and toward Nami.

"Guys," Iceberg said calmly to his men, "Can you please give us a moment of privacy? I'd like to talk to her alone."

"Yes, Iceberg-san," they replied and quickly cleared the area.

"See, Nana?" Iceberg deadpanned, "You can talk nicely to them."

"Yeah, I'll do that when you come flying out of the window of a burning building again," Nana responded dryly, as she moved him towards a quiet corner of the lawn. She then moved over to help Nami but she saw that the redhead was slowly walking towards them on her own.

"Nami...are you okay?" Nana asked.

"Yeah. Thank you, Nana," Nami said and she sat down solemnly across from Iceberg. Nana nodded to Iceberg and then left them. She was dying to know what they were talking about and how Iceberg and Paulie got so severely wounded...but the main office, her home, was burning down and there were probably still people in there.

She ran over to Paulie first. Much to her relief, he was stable and his bleeding had stopped. He was still unconscious though. She had never seen Paulie like that before and it rattled her. He was always the dependable one, the one Iceberg relied on for serious stuff. She couldn't help but feel like she should've been the one wounded and not him. _Why didn't I stay?_

There was a loud crash at the other side of the office as one corner had collapsed. Men started to cry out in pain and Nana ran over. Craftsmen were shooting hoses at the back of the house but the fire was just too powerful. "God damn it!" she shouted at them as she ran for the water cannons in the back, "Do I have to do everything myself?"

It took her 20 minutes to get the fire out and at least twenty men safely carried out of the building singlehandedly. She collapsed on the grass and tried to catch her breath after she carried out the last guy she could find under the debris. Her goggles were covered in ash and she pulled it off of her eyes. Pygmy scurried over and licked her nose. She giggled and patted his head, "I'm fine...it seems everyone else is too. I couldn't find anyone else under there."

She then sat up on her elbows and then her eyes widened. "Shit! I forgot! Has anyone seen Lucci, Kaku, or Kalifa?! I saw Tilestone and Lulu but I couldn't find the others they-"

"They went back to their hometowns before the storm hit," a voice replied from behind.

She quickly turned on the grass with her belly down so that she could see who was talking. She gasped when she saw Paulie standing upright and walking towards her.

"They went home," he grunted as he lit a new cigar.

"What?!" Nana jumped to her feet and poked him hard in the chest, completely forgetting about the conditions she had originally found him in. He winced at her jab. "How is that possible? I thought they were going to-"

"They. Went. Home."

The way Paulie said it made Nana step back. There was a level of anger in his voice that was more intense than Nana had ever heard. Much more than the time she accidentally blew up a ship with him still in it from a prematurely fired cannon (hence the creation of Iceberg's rule #2 for her - No firing at, towards, or near colleagues or company property). He even seemed angrier than when she was 9 and decided to interrupt his date pretending to be his abandoned daughter, begging him to come home. He had actually strung her up in his ropes and held her just inches above the canals, until Iceberg made him stop and told them to go back inside.

No. This was hands down the angriest tone Paulie had ever used in front of Nana. She gulped and nodded her head. "Okay," she said quietly, "They went home."

"Chopper! Chopper! Wake up! We need to go find Luffy!"

Nana glanced over at Nami, who was standing over the unconscious reindeer and hitting him hard on the cheek. Nana couldn't help but feel slightly amused that she was using such force even when her friend was in that much pain. There was a strength to Nami that Nana kind of liked.

When Chopper finally woke up, he and Nami were in a very intense conversation that seemed to end up with good news. He leapt to his feet and his eyes were shining. Finally he yelled out loud enough for Nana to hear, "Let's go find Luffy and everyone else to tell them the good news!"

"Everyone! Lend the Straw Hats a hand," Paulie growled to the men.

The men were aghast. "But…," someone Nana recognized as a craftsman from dock #6 said, "Didn't they try to kill Iceberg-san? Shouldn't we capture them-"

_Thwack!_

A large rock hit the Dock #6 craftsman right in the head and he knelt to the ground, clutching his head in pain. "Did we say we were taking questions or suggestions?! Didn't we just see one of them save Iceberg and Paulie's life?!" Nana barked, "Do what Paulie says."

"Yes, Nana-san...Paulie-san," they said nervously.

Nana turned to Paulie and folded her arms. "So...why _are_ we helping the Straw Hats?"

"WHY DO YOU GET TO ASK THE QUESTIONS?!" the craftsmen angrily shouted at her until she flashed them a death glare and they fearfully averted their eyes.

"They weren't the culprits," Paulie said, "They were framed by the ones who actually did this." He dropped his voice low so only she could hear him, "They were people from the government."

"What?!" Nana clamped her hand over her mouth and then lowered her voice as well, "The government is behind this?" She then flashed her eyes at Iceberg, who was walking over towards them and Nami.

He petted Tyrannosaurus in his pajama shirt pocket. "I don't care if you go after Nico Robin, but the sea train for the government personnel will depart at 11 tonight. Well...this is just my guess but it's highly possible they'll take that train. In other word, Nico Robin will too."

"Maybe earlier," Nana interrupted and rushed forward to help support Iceberg, "I just came back from the train station...Aqua Laguna is very strong this year. The train might have to leave early in order to avoid getting caught in the storm."

"Isn't there another train we can take?" Nami asked.

"After the 11 pm train, the sea train will be suspended for the time being since Aqua Laguna is coming soon," Iceberg said with a shake of his head."

"Then…," Nami said as she got up to her feet, "That means…"

Iceberg nodded. "If you miss that train, you can't sail out. There's no means to leave this island."

"Oh no!" Nami screamed, "This is bad. What time is it now?!"

Iceberg pulled out a copper pocket watch and looked at the time. "10:30," Iceberg said.

"What?! We've only got 30 minutes left!" Nami cried, "Hey, can't you do something? Stop the sea train for a while?"

"Well," Iceberg admitted as he closed his watch and put it back in his pocket, "It's destination is Enies Lobby. It's an island off limits to those other than Government personnel. The engine driver is also from the Government. He won't listen to me."

"Oh no," Nami moaned and covered her face. She looked at Chopper, who had turned into his usual form, "Then...the only way left is for me to go to the station and somehow persuade Robin directly…"

"Is that why Sanji is there?" Nana asked.

Nami and Chopper looked at her in surprise. "Sanji is there?!" they cried.

Nana was startled by their reaction. "Y-yes. I saw him when I was there servicing the Puffing Tom to get it ready for the storm...He said he was waiting for someone there."

"Oh," Nami said with a sigh of relief, "At least someone is there already. I need to get to him and tell him everything. Chopper! I'll tell you the directions in which Luffy and Zoro flew, so search those areas! If you find them, tell them to come to the train station immediately."

"Like I said, guys," Paulie growled, "Give this girl and her friend a hand. Hey, shameless girl!"

"Don't call me that!" Nami protested.

"You're going to the station right? I'll show you the way," Paulie said.

"I'll come with you!" Nana volunteered but then Iceberg placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Nana, you need to stay here," he said quietly and he continued speaking before she could start to protest, "And I'll tell you why later."

She scowled and then placed her hands on her hips. She redirected her anger at the craftsmen. "Stop standing around! The foreman just gave you guys orders. Go help the Straw Hats! Are you trying to ruin the good name of Galley-La?! Go get the Yagaras out and start looking!"

"Yes, Nana-san! Sorry, Paulie-san!" they shouted and they quickened their pace.

She glowered at Iceberg and he let out a small chuckle. He knew she hated being left in the dark just as much as being left out of the action. She was zero for two at the moment and his ward was livid. Then the humor left his face as he geared himself up for the heartbreak he would have to witness.

They sat on the grass in silence while the rest of the craftsmen had their hands full either treating the wounded, finding more people trapped under the rubble, or getting ready to head to the evacuation shelters.

After 15 minutes of silence, Nana grunted impatiently. "Can you tell me why now?"

"No," Iceberg said . He had his arms folded across his chest and his head low as if he was meditating.

Nana sighed with frustration and adjusted her sitting position. "At least give me something to do," she grumbled.

"Not yet..." Iceberg replied.

After what seemed like ages to Nana, but in actuality was only thirty minutes, two craftsmen, who were soaking wet, came running up to the pair. "Iceberg-san! Iceberg-san! We have news," they shouted.

"Did they make the train?" Nana demanded.

The men shook their head. "Nico Robin was taken aboard the ship along with one of the Straw Hats' friends and Franky. The train heading for Enies Lobby left ten minutes ahead of schedule," one of them reported.

"Franky is with them?!" Nana shouted in surprise and leapt to her feet, "Why the hell-"

"Nana.." Iceberg said softly as he got up to his feet and started to walk towards the exit, " _Now_ I have something for you to do."

* * *

Nana looked all around her with a mix of confusion and excitement. They were in an underground warehouse that Iceberg had not taken her since she was eight. The warehouse itself was nothing special but it was what it contained that made Nana giddy. She reached out and placed a hand gently on the front of the Rocketman steam train. The front was painted and shaped like a shark. Nana still had dreams about it since the day Iceberg had showed her this steam train.

"Are we really...servicing this?" she asked with awe.

"Yes," Iceberg said with a nod and then placed two hands on her shoulders. He held her eyes so she could see how serious he was being, "But I want to tell you something before you get started."

"What?" she asked.

"Paulie lied," he said and took a deep breath, "Kaku, Lucci, and Kalifa...They didn't go back home. They-"

"They died, didn't they?" Nana's voice had gone very quiet and her face was pale.

"No…" Iceberg replied, "They...were the ones who tried to kill me along with Blueno from the bar and they're the ones who wounded Paulie and the Straw Hats."

"WHAT?!" Nana's thunderous roar rattled the warehouse walls, which confirmed to Iceberg that waiting to be in private to tell her was a wise decision. "That can't be possible!"

Iceberg nodded grimly at her and proceeded to explain everything, starting from the blueprints to Pluton and all the way up to CP9, their skills, and the threat of a Buster Call. By the time he finished, Nana was a mess. She alternated from sobbing hysterically to having uncontrollable rage. Iceberg had no idea what to do with this volatile girl so he just let her digest the information on her own. She paced back and forth with her hammer clutched tightly in her hand. She was currently in her crying phase.

"But...but…" she hiccuped, "Kaku...always helped me run errands when the shops were closing soon and it was too late for me to get stuff...And...and...Lucci...he always took my side when Paulie yelled at me...and...and...Blueno snuck me my first beer...and Kalifa...well, I never really liked her anyways."

"Er...Nana, about that underage drinking-" Icebert started to say but Nana suddenly swung her hammer. It slammed against the warehouse wall, shaking the entire building.

"How DARE she do this to us?! I had told her if anything happens to you, I'd hold her responsible! I can't believe she was working undercover this entire time! And Kaku and Lucci too?!"

She started to cry again, "How can a stupid ventriloquist freak be part of the Government? I trusted him. I trusted Kaku! They were there when I wheeled some of my first cannons onto the ships. They were there when-"

"Nana…" Iceberg interrupted and picked up his suitcase of tools, "That's enough. You've had your time to react to it. Now it's time to work."

Nana was hyperventilating as she looked at Iceberg. Her double breaths and tear stains across her cheeks made her look absolutely pitiful but Iceberg stood firm. "We're on a tight schedule," he said, "And we need to get this train running so that the Straw Hats can get to Robin and Franky in time."

"Why did you tell me?" Nana asked softly. "You didn't need to tell me all of this."

Iceberg sighed. "Because I didn't want you to be caught off guard if you see them."

Nana blinked. "Why would I be seeing them? I thought you said they'll never come back here."

Iceberg patted the Rocketman and then looked at Nana. "I know you enough to know that there's no way in hell you'd not want to go with them."

Nana was stunned. "What? I didn't even-"

"A world class mechanic not wanting to take a ride on the first sea train ever built?" Iceberg said with a raised eyebrow, "And...it's Franky…Of course you'd want to go and save him."

Nana gulped and looked at him, "How long have you known?"

"That you've been disobeying my orders to avoid Franky since you were 12 and have been asking him to teach you more about weapons?" Iceberg said with a shrug, "Years…"

"Did he tell you or did you-"

"Nana...I lived under the same roof as him for years. I can recognize his handiwork anywhere...Even if it's just a small edit on someone else's work," He opened up his suitcase and then threw a screwdriver at Nana, who caught it with one hand. "Now let's get to work. Where are your tools anyways?"

Nana gasped and dropped the screwdriver. "SHIT! I left it with Sanji...AGAIN!"

* * *

This Franky guy was really working on Sanji's last nerve. All the cook wanted to do was to call his precious Nami-san and report the situation to her. In the letter he left her, he also lovingly requested that she tell the angel that he was keeping her bag and waterboard safe with him. He wondered if Nami-san was able to relay that message. He knew Nami-san would not get mad at him for mentioning another woman as she did not mind the usual attention he gave to Robin-chan on the ship anyways. His love for every woman was unique and special and he was sure Nami-san knew that.

However, this ducktail bastard did not seem to have gotten the memo and kept insisting that Sanji untie him before using the transponder snail. They were in the 6th car of steam train, heading for Enies Lobby and Sanji had yet to see Robin-chan.

"Stop ordering me around, you bastard!" Sanji yelled as Usopp hopped in between them despite still being bound.

"You guys, shhhhh!" Usopp insisted, "Someone is going to hear you."

"What kind of tone is that? I asked you nicely to untie me!" Franky shouted back, "You are-"

He stopped short and he tilted his head to the side. His attention was suddenly drawn to the bag hanging on Sanji's shoulder and the waterboard he was casually holding under his arm. "Where did you get those things?"

Sanji took a step back and created some distance between him and Franky. "None of your business."

"It _is_ my business because I helped develop that waterboard and I know the owner will be very pissed that you stole it from her," Franky snapped.

"I did not steal anything. I'm not like you, you dirty bastard. I don't take things that don't belong to me. Nana-chan left it with me at the train station and I'm just keeping a close eye on it for her, like I did for her when she left it in front of the Franky House." Sanji snapped.

"So _you're_ the reason why that Nana-brat suddenly decided to destroy my house and hurt my underlings?!" Franky thundered, "What the hell did you do to her?"

"She volunteered to help us! After the shit you put Usopp through, plus the fact that you hurt her dog, no sane person would still stand on your side," Sanji retorted.

Franky blinked. "Ow! They super hurt the brat's pet?"

"Oh yeah…" Usopp said thoughtfully, "Nana found me on the street and she watched over me while Nami went to get help. She asked me if I really loved the Merry and then when I tried to go get the money back, she had her dog take me. He saved my life after you left and dragged me out before your men could do any more damage to me…"

"Owwwww," Franky cried heartfelt tears, "The Nana-brat and that mutt were deeply moved by your story too!"

"Why are you crying?! You're the person who caused the problems in the first place!" Usopp and Sanji snapped at the same time.

Franky sniffled and then he remembered something. "But didn't she think you guys attacked Iceberg this morning? Yet she still trusts you enough to leave her precious tools with you?"

Sanji puffed on his cigarette. "Something happened and she believes that we didn't do it. She believed us when we said we were telling the truth."

Franky scoffed and he shook his head. "Of course she did...That girl is one of a kind, I'll tell you that much."

Sanji suddenly sat cross legged in front of Franky. "Why don't you tell me more?"

Franky raised an eyebrow, "So you're interested, eh?"

"Oy! Is this the time to talk about a girl, Sanji?!" Usopp cried incredulously.

"Well...if she leaves the bag with you willingly, it must mean she likes you better than most people," Franky said.

"Are you guys just going to ignore me?!" Usopp shouted.

"Shh, Usopp. You're going to alert the other cars," Sanji hissed without taking his eyes off of Franky. Usopp moaned and hung his head defeatedly.

"Well...where do I even start with that girl?" Franky wondered out loud.


	9. Resilience

_\- Flashback 4 years ago, Nana: 12, Franky: 30 -_

Franky sat with his legs crossed and his arms folded tightly around him, while he angrily stared at the seawater in front of him. He had stormed out of that insane meeting with Bakaberg and was cooling off at the top of the scrapheap on scrap island. _Some super homecoming this was,_ he thought with a scowl.

The plans for Pluton were stored safely in his body and out of sight, but it was like he could feel it burning a hole through his stomach. Franky knew that to be impossible because his stomach was nonexistent and was now a cooling system for his cola bottles. He clenched his fist and scowled. Why is Bakaberg asking him to do this? Why is he even helping the government? Nothing good ever comes with working with the government.

He heard the sounds of rolling metal and he turned around to see a strange little girl standing behind him on another scrapheap, with a wrench in her hand, a thunderous look on her face, and a growling dog next to her.

"Ow, what's your problem, brat? Can't you see I'm trying to have a moment alone?" Franky yelled at her.

_Clang!_

Without warning, she had thrown her wrench directly at his head, knocking it back. "Owwwww!" he shouted. He snapped his head upright and glared at her, "What was that for?!"

The girl was staring at him now with widened eyes and she tilted her head to the side. "Your head is...metal?!" she asked softly. She had caught the sound his head made when the wrench came into contact with him. She knew iron when she heard it.

Franky got up to his feet. "Ow! That's right, you little brat. I re-engineered my body so that I'm a super human. I'm a cyborg!" He put his forearms together and stuck it over his head so that she could see his star tattoo. "I'm Franky!"

"How'd you get work done on your back?" the girl asked without missing a beat.

Franky fell over with shock and he landed hard on top of the scrapheap. "You're not impressed at all?!"

When he sat back up, he saw that the girl was now sitting beside him. She ran her hand gently over his arm and her dog was sniffing in circles around him.

"Whoa," she breathed.

He jerked his arm away from her. "Ow! What are you? Some kind of pervert? Don't just go around touching people."

She scrunched her nose at him. "You're the one running around in a bikini."

"I never said _I_ wasn't a pervert," Franky said, flashing her a grin. Then his head throbbed in pain and he realized he had gone off subject. The grin switched to a frown. "Ow! Why did you super throw your wrench at me, you brat?!"

She folded her arms and stuck her tongue out at him. "You made Icy sad," she said accusingly.

"Icy?" Franky was perplexed, "Who is-...ICEBERG?! You mean Iceberg?!"

"Whoever makes him sad needs to answer to me," she said with determination.

"Who the hell are you?!" Franky barked back.

"I'm Mizu Nana, child of Water 7, adopted daughter of Mayor Iceberg, and top mechanic for the Galley-La Company," she said with her chin held high.

"Adopted…?" Franky was stunned, "Why would Bakaberg adopt a brat like you?"

"Bakaberg?" Suddenly, the girl was cracking up and rolling around the scrapheap in laughter, "Oh, that's a good one! Haha, I should call him that one day."

"Yah. I made that name up for him when we- WAIT! Crap! I've gotten off topic again," Franky yelled in frustration, "Listen here, Nana-brat. You can't just go around throwing wrenches at people that piss off Bakaberg, especially me."

"Why?"

"Because we piss each other off all the time."

"Why?"

Franky glowered at her. "Are you going to keep asking me that just to bother me?"

"No," Nana said, "I want to know who you are and why did Iceberg secretly meet up with you. He's never had secrets with me before and I want to know. I had to follow him all the way to that stupid warehouse under the bridge but I couldn't sneak in in time to hear what you guys were saying."

Franky raised an eyebrow. "How about I make you a deal? You tell me about you and then I'll tell you about me."

Nana was silent as she weighed her options. Finally, after a few minutes she stuck her gloved hand out to him. "Deal."

He shook it and then pointed a finger at her. "Alright, you're up. Why did Iceberg adopt you?"

"I don't know. He just did," Nana said with a shrug.

"What happened to your real parents?

"I don't know. I don't remember."

Franky got up to his feet and lifted her up into the air by the shoulders. "Ow! This is not how it's supposed to work, Nana-brat."

"I really don't remember!" Nana shouted as her legs flailed about, trying to land a hard kick to get released from his strong, mechanical grip, "All I know is what the doctors and marines told me!"

Franky immediately let go and he dropped her to the floor like she was a used tissue. "What? The government? How are you involved with the Navy?"

"I'm not," Nana said and crossed her arms in front of her, "They were the ones who just happened to have taken me to the hospital."

"Why?"

"Because they accidentally blew up the ship that I was on...At least that's what they told me…" Nana frowned. "Apparently, I was on some sort of a merchant vessel that happened to have a couple of families on board. We got caught up in the crossfire between marines and a pirate ship and the ship sank…After realizing their mistake, the marines were able to retrieve me and a hundred others from the wreckage...but I was the only one who survived by the time we reached a hospital. I woke up with no recollection of who I was. I probably had family on board...but there's no way to know for sure."

"OW!" Out of nowhere, Franky pulled out a guitar and started to tearfully strum it, "I'll sing...about your hardships. The song title is, 'Sad Farewell! Memories in the Wind!'"

"I don't need you to sing for me!" Nana shouted with annoyance.

Franky rubbed the tears away from under his sunglasses and set his guitar down. "So you must really hate marines then, huh?"

Nana stared at him blankly, "Why would I?"

"They killed your family."

"...But they saved me," she said.

"But they wouldn't have had to if they didn't make a mistake."

"They tried to correct their mistakes and save the people they accidentally harmed," Nana replied, "There's no point in harboring negative feelings towards someone who is already blaming themselves…I saw the look on all the marines' faces when I woke up. They looked really sad and guilty. Me hating them won't change things and it won't make anything better."

Franky was struggling to find the right words to say. _This child is resilient._

"So...what are you doing here in Water 7 then?" he finally asked.

"I want to make weapons."

"Ow! So you can use them to attack the marines?!" Franky shouted accusingly.

"Of course not!" Nana yelled, "My weapons are going to be only used to help end fights but not harm people."

"Weapons are weapons, Nana-brat. Surely Bakaberg, of all people, would be against you making those things," Franky responded, "They can cause harm to people even if you never intended them to if they fall into the wrong hands."

A furious look came over Nana's face. "I'll tell you what I tell Iceberg! Life is not that black and white. Nothing arrives in this world completely good or completely evil. People make mistakes. People change their minds. There is always a chance for things to become better or worse. That is why we have hope and that is why we have faith and I'm willing to put my hope and faith in _my dream_."

Franky was floored. "...Which is?"

"That one day I can arm a ship that can travel safely through the New World and back without killing anyone," she stated with determination and confidence, "I want to prove that people can conquer the seas without having to take any lives."

She took a deep breath and then glared at Franky. "Okay. I fulfilled my end of the bargain. Who are you?"

"Ow!" Franky said as he thought about the plans in his stomach, "I'm just an old childhood friend of Iceberg. We had a falling out and I left town...but now I'm super back and planning to stay in the city for a good long time."

Nana narrowed her eyes, "What was the falling out over?"

"A girl," Franky lied, "I stole Bakaberg's girlfriend and we left the island together...But then she dumped me so now I'm back."

Nana wrinkled her nose. "So why did Iceberg insist on meeting you in secret?"

Franky shrugged, "Maybe he doesn't want people to know that he lost a girl to me."

Nana eyed him and then nodded her head. "Yeah...I can see that. I'd be embarrassed too if I lost to a guy like you. No one in their right mind would choose you over anyone else."

"Exactly," Franky said, "It would be-Wait. What did you say, Nana-brat?!"

* * *

Franky wriggled impatiently inside the sack that held him. "Okay, I told you everything I know about that Nana-brat so can you please let me out now?"

 _So the angel has a very sympathetic heart, huh? No wonder her attitude had changed so quickly since this morning..._ Sanji took a long drag of his cigarette and then raised an eyebrow at Franky. "Was that the deal? I never agreed to it."

"What?!" Franky was outraged, "I told you what you wanted to know...Now let me out!"

Sanji scoffed and loosened the ties around Franky's neck. He then moved over to Usopp's bag and did the same. Both men stood up and looked at Sanji. "Okay, now what should we do?" Usopp asked.

Sanji surveyed the area. The Government officials in cars 6 and 7 all got a taste of his kicks so they were all wiped out. Clearly, just walking through the cars was not an efficient and quiet method. He rubbed his chin and then noticed the ceiling. "Let's go up," he said.

"Up?!" Franky and Usopp cried.

"Yah, up. Now follow me you, you idiots," Sanji ordered as he grabbed a transponder snail from a table next to a window and then climbed out of it.

* * *

"Whoahhhhh! This looks so cool!" Luffy and Chopper shouted. They were completely dazzled by the Rocketman.

Nana and Pygmy stuck their heads out of the engine room window and was surprised to see Granny Kokoro, Chimney, and her little rabbit pet standing behind Luffy, Chopper, and Zoro.

"Oh! Nana-chan! You're here?" Granny said as she clutched her wine bottle in her fist, "Does that mean-?"

"Ah," Iceberg said as he exited the train. He was wiping his hands on a towel and he sat down on a wooden crate by the wall, "We just finished servicing the train. We've stocked the water and coals."

"The steam is gathering as we speak," Nana reported from the engine room.

"Oooh! You've been prepping it for us?" Luffy cheered, "Thank you!"

"Seems like we had the same idea," Iceberg shared a chuckle with Granny Kokoro, "We both want to lend a hand to these idiots."

"Luffy...where's Nami? I thought she'd be with you?" Nana asked, surveying their visitors.

Suddenly, there was a sound of something crashing down the stairs. It sounded heavy and if Nana wasn't mistaken, there were the sound of squeaking wheels. Pygmy barked and wagged his tail excitedly as Nami came bursting through the door with the two stationmasters behind her, pulling a giant wagon.

The wagon was carrying a large sack that was filled to the brim with something. It was tied off at the end so Nana couldn't see what was in it.

"Oy, get in, you idiot!" Luffy shouted to Nami from the train steps, "We need to leave soon! What is in there anyways?"

Nami tilted the wagon and the contents spilled out of the bag. It was mounds and mounds of meat, produce, and liquor. Luffy instantly changed his tune while Zoro grabbed himself three bottles from the pile. "Thanks, Nami, you're the best!"

"AH! It's Nana-san! You're on this train!" one of the stationmaster shouted as he pointed a pudgy finger at the mechanic.

"Oh my!" The skinny stationmaster gasped and he loudly whispered to his colleague, "I bet she's chasing after that Mr. Prince guy after he left without her on the train. She must be so heartbroken that she didn't get to say goodbye."

"What are you two babbling on about?" Nana snapped at them.

"Nothing!" they called in unison.

Nami glanced over at Nana and then she remembered her message for her. "Oh! Nana...Sanji-kun wanted me to tell you that he has your bag and waterboard."

"Sanji...kun?" Nana asked slightly taken aback by Nami's use of the familiar.

"Oh no...That must be the Mr. Prince guy," the fat station master hissed at his colleague, "Nana must be in love with him but he's already involved with this girl...who Paulie-san is trying to get."

"Oh..what an ill fated romance!" the skinny station master gasped.

"Seriously. What are you two whispering about?!" Nana snapped again.

"Nothing!"

More sounds started to come from the stairwell again. This time, it was a smattering of footsteps and then a group of Franky Family members burst through the door, including the twin girls that Nana recognized as always hanging next to Franky. They had the weird square shaped hairstyle that Nana could never quite understand.

"Straw Hat!" a bandaged Zambai shouted with tears in his eyes, "We heard you guys were going to Enies Lobby and we want to come too! Please let us come and rescue our bro, Franky!"

"Please!" the rest of the Franky Family chorused.

Nana exchanged looks with Iceberg and she tilted her head curiously. Pygmy started to growl at Zambai but Nana put her arms around his neck to soothe him. "It's okay...They won't hurt you again. They've learned their lesson," she soothed.

"After all the trouble you caused us?" Nami huffed.

"I know...I know…" Zambia sobbed and he got down on his knees, "But...that's why we're swallowing our pride and begging you to let us come. Please! We really want to save our bro! We want to go after them but...we can't get through Aqua Laguna by ourselves."

"It's the World Government you're up against," Granny Kokoro warned as she climbed into the engine room with Nana.

"It doesn't matter who it is!" Zambia exclaimed.

"We're willingly give up our lives for him!" one of the twin girls said.

Zoro scowled and placed a firm hand on his swords while Nami and Chopper watched them with cautious eyes.

"Get on."

They all turned in surprise at the rubber man, who stood back on the steps of the train with his hands on his hips. "Hurry!" he yelled angrily.

"Thank you! Thank you so much," Zambia cried as he slammed his forehead down on the floor, "We're deeply indebted to you."

"Oy, Luffy!" Nami protested but her captain only grinned back.

"It'll be fine," he said cheerfully.

"Ah!" Zambia got up to his feet and stuck his hand up in the air, "We don't have to get on the train."

"Hm?" Luffy asked.

"We'll jump out to the sea using our King Bulls at the same time you come out," he said with a smile, "So all you need to do is to let us hold on to the end of the train."

"King Bulls?" Zoro asked skeptically.

"Thanks for letting us go with you! We'll see you later," Zambia cried as he and the rest of the family dashed off with cheers and cries of happiness.

"Weirdos," Nana scoffed to Pygmy. She returned back into the engine room to shovel more coals into the furnace.

"If you can get on the railway after going out to the sea via the canal, that'll be a success for the time being," Iceberg advised from outside the window.

"Don't worry. I'm more experienced in operating it than you are," Granny Kokoro said with a smile as she entered the engine room herself. Her eye caught Nana's action and she looked at Iceberg, "Is it okay for Nana-chan to come with us?"

Iceberg chuckled, "I couldn't stop her even if I tried."

Granny Kokoro laughed, "Ah...children can be like that sometimes. You take it easy and rest here. Chimney and Gonbe should be playing back there somewhere. If you take care of them, I'll take care of yours."

Iceberg nodded and his eyes furrowed with concern but Granny Kokoro knew it was not for Nana. "I bet he's fine," she consoled, "We're talking about a guy who survived being hit by a sea train, after all. On top of that, we have the King of Pirates and his friends."

"King of Pirates?" Nana asked not looking away from what she was doing.

"That's what the Luffy kid says he's going to be...The King of Pirates. He's going to sail to the New World and find the One Piece," Granny Kokoro answered.

Nana froze for just a moment. "The New World," she breathed. Then she caught herself and continued on her task. Her pause, however, did not go unnoticed by Iceberg.

"Nana," Iceberg called over to her, "You stay on the train and by Granny Kokoro's side, okay?"

Nana gulped and nodded her head, "Okay."

"Alright, everyone ready?! Let's go!" Granny Kokoro shouted as she pulled on the train whistle.

_WOOOOOO! WOOOOOOO!_


	10. Comrades and Cannons

The train pushed through the underground canals at breakneck speed. Luffy sat outside at the front with his rubber arms wrapped tightly around the chimney. All the passengers were holding on to whatever they could in order to stop themselves from falling over or injuring themselves...Everyone, except Nana.

She had her back turned to the window and was oblivious to where they were heading. Instead, her attention was focused on the steam gauge and the firebox. She would check on the water pressure and then swiftly throw in more coal into the furnace after a few minutes. The temperature in the cab was steadily rising and Granny Kokoro had her head stuck out the window, partially to keep cool but most importantly so she could spot the tracks when they reach the sea. Nana was undeterred by the heat and wasn’t even sweating that much under her helmet. Pygmy, on the other hand, was panting profusely.

The further they pulled away from warehouse, the more worried Nana was for Franky. When they had shot off, Nana had caught the distressed look on Iceberg’s face. She knew he was feeling the same thing as her...and although she had never met Nico Robin, Nana was concerned for her too. The image of Luffy angrily defending her back at Dock #1 was imprinted firmly in her brain. Robin should know how highly her crew thought of her...but then again, considering she had laid down her life in exchange for theirs, she probably already did.

“Get ready, Nana-chan,” Granny Kokoro warned with an inebriated laugh, “We’re coming out to sea in a few minutes.”

Nana said nothing and just placed her hammer on the steel floor with the head down while continuing to check on the pipes and steam gauge. She held onto the handle with one hand and placed her other hand on her hip.

Granny Kokoro chuckled, “Is that going to hold you down?”

“There is a strong magnet in this hammer,” Nana replied, “i just turned it on so it should be locked to the floor now.”

Granny Kokoro took a gulp from her bottle and smiled at the back of Nana’s head. She liked the girl a lot. She had a lot of spunk.

Nana felt the floor shift beneath her feet. The train had started to tilt down without any signs of slowing. They flew down the canal like a chute in a water park, causing enormous water and wind to fly out from the sides of the wheels.

“H-H-Hey, monster granny!” Luffy shouted from outside, “Are we falling?”

Kokoro laughed, “The exit is real close now. We’ll keep on going and go down in one shot.”

“What?! No way!!!” Nana heard Nami’s voice call out from the passenger car behind them.

“Almost there, Nana,” Kokoro warned and that’s when Nana turned to look out the window. She held her hammer tightly and a smile sprouted across her lips.

They shot out of the canal like a cannon and were rocketing out 30 feet above the sea water. “Wahoooo!!!” Luffy cheered.

There was a loud crash from the back of the train and Nana felt a slight push forward as they slammed into the water. It slowed down the train tremendously. Granny laughed as she continued to lean out the window. “Looks like the Franky Family’s got the highest grade bulls.”

Nana stuck her head out of the other window and looked behind. The Franky Family had fired their connection cannons to the back of the train and it was now pulling them and their two King Bulls, Sodom and Gomorrah. Behind the bulls was the Franky Family’s own ship.

“You idiots!” Zoro’s head popped out from a window and he shook his fist angrily at the King bulls, “Don’t be so reckless!”

“Thank you for your help!” The Franky Family replied cheekily.

Granny Kokoro laughed, “What a cheerful bunch.”

“Hey, monster granny, is this the fastest this train will go?” Luffy asked.

Nana turned her head to face the rubber boy. “No. We’ll reach full speed when we get onto the railways.”

“Railways?” Luffy put his hands over his eyes and he stared into the water, “Where’s that?”

“Looks like it’s drifted quite a ways away…” Nana murmured as she looked down at the sea.

“Hmph!” Granny Kokoro sniffed indignantly, “I’ve observed this sea train since it's development. Don’t underestimate me.” Her eyes narrowed in on the waves ahead and she stared at intently. After a few seconds, her eyes lit up and she pulled on one of the levers. “I see it! Here we go!”

The train started to accelerate and it veered towards the left. Nana placed one arm around Pygmy’s neck just in case as the dog slid over towards her leg. Granny Kokoro pulled down the transponder intercom snail on her dashboard. “Urgent message from the engine room,” she said, “The train will go on the railway shortly. Once it does, it’ll rapidly accelerate. Hold on tight to something so that your injuries won’t be severe.”

The train lurched forward and landed harshly onto the water. “Tsk, missed it by a little…” Granny Kokoro said as she gritted her teeth and pushed down a lever.

The train’s whistle pierced the air as the train shot forward once more. The wave sent it high into the air and it came crashing down with so much force that even Pygmy bounced lightly in the air. “Got it?” Nana asked.

“Not yet…” Granny Kokoro grumbled as she focused on the sea below.

“Grandma! That was close! A little to the right,” a cheerful voice called from the top of the train.

“Just wait and see,” Granny Kokoro responded, “I’ll just- WAIT WHAT?!” She looked up and gasped at the sight of her grandchild and her pet rabbit sitting without a care on top of a high speed train in the middle of a storm. “Chimney! Gonbe!”

“Chimney? Gonbe?!” Nana gasped and she ran to the window where Granny Kokoro was, “You guys came with us?!”

“Yep, we did! Hi, Big Sis!!!” Chimney said with a wave.

“Ahhhh! For God’s sakes, come inside or else you’ll get blown away!” Granny Kokoro screamed.

The train swayed sharply to the left and Chimney lost her balance. She fell over the side. At the last second, she reached out to grab one of the metal bars along the side of the train. She held on for dear life while Gonbe held onto her ankles.

“Ahhhhh!” Granny Kokoro screamed again, “Hold on a second! Let me stop the train!”

“Brakes don’t work, Granny, remember?” Nana cautioned. She moved her head back into the room and made a grab for her hammer. She placed it on her back and then climbed back out the window towards the little girl and her pet. “Hang on, Chimney,” Nana said as her leather gloves gripped the slippery, rain drenched side of the metal train.

“I’m being blown away!” Chimney called out cheerfully.

Luffy ran over to the little girl from the front of the train, “Oooh that looks like fun!”

“Straw Hat, Nana! Hurry and get Gonbe and Chimney inside!!!” Granny Kokoro cried from the engine room.

“On it, Granny!” Nana used one hand to steady herself on the windowsill and she reached out to grab Chimney by the wrist with the other. She pulled the child off of the railing and flung her into the window with the rabbit flying behind her. They knocked into Granny Kokoro in the process. “There we-”

Suddenly, the train was pushed up by the wave and connected perfectly to the rails. The train shot off at full speed. Nana lost her grip, while Luffy was blown off the top. Both of them went flying towards the back and they landed smack dab in the middle of Danbe’s pink star, with Nana’s hammer hitting first.

“Oooooof,” Danbe grunted in pain as his metal lederhosen started to crumble beneath Nana’s hammer.

“Whoops...Sorry, Danbe. I can fix that for you later…” Nana said sheepishly as Luffy and her landed on the Franky Family’s ship deck.

“Oy! Luffy! Get inside!!!” Nami called from the train.

“Yosh!!!” Luffy cried and then without warning, he shot his rubber arm around Nana’s waist. “Come on, Dog girl!’

“Nana! My name is NANA!” Nana shouted emphatically as he grabbed the back of the train with his other arm and they shot towards it.

When they climbed into the back of the train, Nana was surprised to see Granny Kokoro there with Chimney and Gonbe sitting on top of Pygmy. Immediately, Nana lifted Chimney by the pigtails and Gonbe by the ears and casually tossed them towards the couch on the side. “Get off my dog,” she grumbled.

“Woof! Woof!” Pygmy barked.

“He says ‘They needed to ride on me or else they’d be blown away when they moved between the train cars’,” Chopper translated. Pygmy licked his face and Chopper laughed. “Complimenting me like that won’t make me happy, you jerk!”

“Whatever,” Nana said and set her hammer on the floor. She flopped onto the couch, in the space next to Chimney, and stretched out her arms. “Ugh…” She then looked over to where Zoro was sitting. “Could’ve used some of your help prepping the train, you know.”

“Huh?” Zoro growled, “What do I know about-”

“Not you,” Nana grunted and pointed next to him at Paulie, Lulu, and Tilestone, “Those three idiots who decided it was okay to hide in the tender, while Icy and I serviced the train.”

“What the hell?! WHEN DID YOU THREE GET IN HERE?” Zoro shouted angrily, just realizing presence of the three stowaways.

“How did you know, Nana-san?!” Tilestone roared.

“What’s a tender?” Luffy asked and picked his nose.

“Tch,” Nana scoffed and folded her arms across her chest, “I just did, Tilestone...and Luffy, a tender is the car where we keep all the coals. It’s right behind the engine car.”

“Oh, I see,” Luffy said with firm nod.

“Idiot! NOT THE THING TO FOCUS ON RIGHT NOW!” Nami seethed as she pinched his cheeks and dragged it to the floor.

“The enemy you’re trying to rescue your friend from, is also the culprit who tried to kill Iceberg-san,” Paulie said carefully to Luffy as he shot a quick glance over at Nana.

Nana sighed, “You can say their names. I already know.”

Paulie almost dropped his cigar. He leapt to his feet. “How?!”

“Icy told me,” Nana said.

“Ugh...I told him not to tell you. It’ll just cause more-”

“I already know so there’s no point in griping about it,” Nana replied and then jabbed a thumb over towards Lulu and Tilestone, “Plus, you told Weird Cactus and Thunder Voice over there…”

“I didn’t,” Paulie growled with annoyance, “They followed me.”

“We weren’t going to let Paulie steal all the glory!” Tilestone shouted, “We thought we’d be able to find Iceberg-san’s assassins if we followed you.”

“So it seems we were right,” Lulu added as he pushed a spike of his hair down, just to have another one appear out of his nose, “Let us join you in this battle.”

“Oy! This isn’t just your fight. We need to take out the foes that took our Bro!” Zambia interjected.

“Hey! Galley-la, how are you going to take responsibility if anything happens to our Bro?!” one of the twins demanded.

“Shut up!” Paulie retorted, “It’s Iceberg-san’s who’s endured the most!”

“You shut up, Paulie!” Nana had had enough and she stood in front of the foreman with her hands on her hips, “You’re missing the point!”

“What?! Nana-”  Paulie started to say.

Nana pointed a finger at Luffy, who was busy eating a water-water meat, “What matters is that we help _them_ get their nakama back...” Her finger then moved in Zambai’s direction, “and we help _them_ get Franky back.”

“Nana,” Lulu protested, “We need to find the assassins that-”

“No, Lulu!” Nana crossed her arms. “Icy is alive and out of the woods for the time being so we have no right to make any demands. Our guy is safe but theirs is not. I’m not saying we don’t have a right to kick their ass when we see them, because I’m damn sure going to shove my hammer straight up-”

“Watch your mouth!” Paulie warned.

“The point is,” Nana snapped, “I’m just saying...in this room right now, we have the least on the line. So stop shouting and saying stuff about glory and your ‘right to fight’, god damn it. Because there is no point if we don’t even catch up to them!”

The rubber man, who had been watching this whole episode, gulped down the final mouthful of savory water-water meat and then got onto his feet.

“Ahhh, well I’m full,” he said as he patted his belly with satisfaction. His face then turned grim and he looked at Nana. “We’ve all got into fights with both Galley-La and Franky Family but we are all going after the same enemy now. The strongest one among the guys is the pigeon one. He’s mine, I’m definitely going to beat him up.”

“Nana is right,” Zoro added, “This battle is to get back what the four took from us. In any case, if we don’t reach them, nothing will end.”

“Ah…” Lulu said sheepishly, “You guys are right…Sorry, Nana-san. Paulie...why don’t you tell us who the culprit is then so...that we can help.”

“So you guys don’t know who assassins are?” Nana asked.

“We have a rough idea,” Lulu said, “So just tell us. We’re not going to be surprised.”

“Well, I guess you suspected something when they disappeared for no reason…” Paulie reasoned, “Then I’ll tell you straight. The true identities of the masked men are...Lucci, Kaku, Kalifa, and Blueno from the bar.”

“WHAAAAAAAAT?!” Lulu and Tilestone bellowed. Their jaws dropped to the floor, their eyes bulged out of their sockets, and even their face turned a ghostly white.

“I THOUGHT YOU GUYS SAID YOU HAD AN IDEA!” Paulie snapped.

“But...you said they went back to their hometowns!” Lulu cried.

“Why would they?! During an emergency like this?!” Paulie shouted.

“We...thought it was Michael and Hoychael from the backstreets,” Tilestone howled.

“Who the hell are they?!” Paulie cried.

“Guys! Focus!” Nana shouted angrily and punched them all very hard on the head.

Suddenly, Luffy stood in front of her with his arm out. “When we have the same goal,” he said solemnly, “It’s senseless to fight separately.”

“Ah,” Nana agreed with a nod and put her hand on his elbow, “Agreed.”

Zambia got up to his feet and placed his hand on her elbow, with Luffy grabbing his, so that the three of them formed a strong triangle with their arms. “Agreed.”

“Listen, we’re comrades,” Luffy continued, “Our friends are also in the train that left before us. Our fighting force will still increase. We’ll all achieve our goal. Let’s go!”

“Yosh!” Everyone cheered.

“Granny!!!” Chimney shouted across the noise. She was leaning out the window and her legs kicked in the air excitedly, “The Aqua Laguna is coming.”

“Let me see,” Nami said and took a look for herself. Her eyes widened and she gasped. There was an incoming wave heading towards them that was already as tall as a city wall and still growing. “This is bad! Kokoro-san, is it okay for you to leave the engine room at a time like this?! We somehow need to dodge that high wave!”

Granny Kokoro laughed as she watched the wave from another window. Nana came over to her to size up the wave herself. “I told you, didn’t I?” Granny Kokoro said, “We can’t control Rocketman. Nothing works once it’s in operation, not even the brakes. My job ended when the train got on the railway. Hence, the train is always running at full throttle. No one can stop it anymore.”

“Oh no,” Nami moaned and then turned to her captain, “Luffy! if we don’t do anything, the train will crash into the big wave!”

“Alright! Guys, let’s fire all our cannonballs at the wave!” Zambia shouted at his team.

“Ah!” one of the family members cried, “When it comes to cannons, leave it to me!”

Nana put her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow at the Franky Family but remained quiet. _Let’s see what they got…_

“Pygmy, stay here,” she ordered before strolling towards the front of the car.

“Where are you going, Nana-san?” Lulu asked.

Nana glanced over at him. “Going to add more coals into the furnace. The last thing we need is for train to run out of steam, right? Plus...I want front row seats to see how you guys expect to stop the wave with your ‘weapons’.”

“Oy! Don’t mock our cannons!” Zambai shouted indignantly but Nana wasn’t listening.

She left the room just as the sound of a transponder snail went off but the door closed before she or Pygmy could catch it. She walked back to the engine room and continued to shovel more coal into the furnace.

Soon she could hear cannons go off overhead. _Three...no, four demi cannons...Two 32 pounders and an extra large cannon…_ She thought without looking out the window, _Probably specially made by the Franky Family._

The whole train shook from the firing weapons and after a pause, Nana turned to look out the window. Her eyebrows raised just slightly when she realized that the large wave was still there. _Yep...I thought so._

She loosened her shoulders and rotated her arms before grabbing her hammer. She climbed out of the window and was surprised to see Zoro and Luffy already at the top of the train.

“Keep firing,” Zoro said sternly to the men behind them and then he tilted his head to the side when he saw Nana, “You might want to stand back.”

Nana got her footing and stood in between him and Luffy. She raised her hammer and gave Zoro a cheeky wink. “I was going to say the same to you.”

Zoro scowled. “What?!”

“Zoro!” Luffy shouted as he wound up his arm.

Zoro placed his Wado Ichimonji between his teeth. “Ah.”

“Gum-Gum...” Luffy cried.

“Three-Hundred Pound…” Zoro growled and raised his other two swords.

“Nana Special…Kinetic...” Nana shouted as she reached as far back as she could with her hammer and then pressed a button on the handle before swinging it forward.

“CANNON!!!” all three of them bellowed at the same time.

The combination of Zoro’s flying air slash, Luffy’s forceful punches, and the high pressured burst of energy from Nana’s hammer created a hole ten times bigger than the Rocketman that cut through the wave and clearing the tracks. The train sailed through into the hole and out the other side as sea water rained down on it's passengers.

“W-W-We got through!!!” Everyone at the back of the train cheered in surprise, “We got through Aqua Laguna!!!”

“I thought we were gonna die!” Zambia sobbed.

Nana turned and smirked back at the stunned shipwrights. “Oh, did I not tell you about the latest upgrade?”

“Oy, Nana,” Zoro said as he re-sheathed his swords, “You’re stronger than you look.”

Luffy grinned and put a hand over his straw hat. “Oy, Dog Girl-”

“NANA!” Nana said through clenched teeth and then she let out a defeated sigh, “If I let you ride Pygmy, would you stop calling me Dog Girl and call me by my actual name?”

“Shi-shi-shi-shi,” Luffy laughed, “Deal!”


	11. The Fear of Swimming

Nana walked back to the train car with Luffy and Zoro. The train had enough steam for her to leave it running for at least another 20 minutes; 10 minutes if they ran into another big wave again. 

“Hey, swordsman…” she called to Zoro, who was walking in front of her.

“Yah?”

“It sounds like your katanas need some sharpening. When this is all over, I can give it a look if you want.”

“What do you know about katanas or how to care for them?” Zoro asked incredulously.

Nana lifted her hammer for emphasis but his back was turned so it was a pointless effort. “I’m a blacksmith! I can’t be called a weapons expert if I don’t even know how to make a sword. Now do you want me to take a look at it later or what?”

“I-” Zoro was about to shoot an angry retort but then he rethought her offer. “Fine. You can take a look at it but you can’t do anything to them. Just...tell me what I need to do.”

“Fine,” Nana said, “As long as you take good care of them. Don’t want you mistreating those babies.”

“They’re not babies!” Zoro snapped as Luffy jumped into the train car sliding through the window.

“Whew! That was fun,” the rubber man told the passengers excitedly.

He immediately got kicked hard in the back by Zoro, who decided to enter the same way. “Oh, sorry,” he said half heartedly.

_ Bam! _

Zoro flew forward as Nana came in the same way. “Not sorry,” she said with a grin. Pygmy ran up to her and wagged his red and white tail. She bent down and licked his nose. He did the same. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his soft, warm fur. 

“Woof! Woof!”

“He said, ‘Ah! You’re so cold and wet!’”

Nana released her hold and frowned at Pygmy. “Selfish.”

“Woof! Woof!”

“Not sorry,” Chopper translated.

“Smartass,” Nana scoffed but patted his head anyways.

“Luffy, come over here!” Nami called, interrupting Zoro from yelling at the mechanic.

Luffy stood up from the floor and made his way towards her with Zoro and Nana following behind. “Hmm?” 

Nami raised a transponder snail towards her captain. It was already connected. “It’s Sanji-kun,” she said.

_ She used “kun” again...I wonder what their relationship is? _ Nana wondered with a fold of her arms. Then she scoffed at herself for even wondering that.

“Hey, is that you, Luffy?”

“Oh Sanji!” Luffy answered excitedly, “How’s it going over there? Where’s Robin?”

“Robin-chan is still in their custody,” came the reply, “Nami-san just told me the reasons for her actions.”

_ Robin...chan?,  _ Nana thought and tilted her head to the side.  _ It seems he only calls Nami by san… _

“I see,” Luffy said as he squatted down and lifted the snail closer to him, “Yeah..well..that’s what’s going on.” He tilted his head up and let out a confident grin, “Go ahead and give them hell.”

“Ehhhh?!” Nami and Chopper protested.

“Hey!” Zoro snapped, “Don’t be reckless, Luffy! Tell him to wait until we catch up!” Zoro then turned his attention to the snail, “Oy, Cook! Can you hear me? There are crazy guys on that train so-”

“That’s okay,” Luffy interrupted. His face turned solemn as he looked at the swordsman, “Zoro...What would you do if it were you?...After hearing that Robin lied and was taken into custody in order to save us, could you just stay put? It’s no use trying to stop him.”

“You know me well,” Sanji said through the snail and Nana could tell he was smiling, “Hey, Moss Head! Are you worried about me?”

Zoro reacted like someone had punched him in the gut. “Why would I be, you idiot?!” he yelled.

“Be careful,” Nana found herself saying, “Lucci and Kaku are really strong even when they were posing as shipwrights. Kaku is really fast and Lucci is just overall a strong fighter.”

“Ohhh, is that Nana-chan?!” Sanji’s voice went up by an octave, “Ahhh don’t you worry, my sweet beautiful angel. I will-”

“Oh shut up, you pervert cook,” Zoro growled.

“Ow! Nana-brat-”

“Listen, shitty morimo,” Sanji’s shouted, cutting off Franky. His voice had grown stern and serious again, “After hearing what Robin-chan was thinking and now with the blessing of Nana-chan, even if the Captain orders me to stand down, nothing can stop me now!”

_ Catcha. _

“Franky was with him,” Nana gasped and looked over at Granny Kokoro for confirmation.

“Yes, that’s a good sign,” Granny Kokoro said with a smile.

“Idiot cook,” Zoro grunted, “Hung up before we could get any more information.”

“So...he’s..the cook?” Nana asked, glancing over at Nami.

“Yeah,” Nami said with a shrug, “And really into the ladies too. Don’t put too much thought into his flirting. He doesn’t mean any harm and you get used to it after awhile.”

“Oh.”  _ So he treats all the girls like this... _

“Luffy, we should get ready,” Zoro said.

“Ah,’ Luffy agreed _. _

Nana’s eyes almost popped out of her head when Nami started to take off her clothes. Then she realized that Paulie and the other shipwrights were coming back into the room. She hurriedly rushed over to Nami. “Na-Na-Nami,” she stammered, “You shouldn’t change here. The guys-”

“There’s no other car,” Nami said without batting an eye and took off her top and bottoms, “They can just watch me change.”

Nana turned towards the door in time to see the thunderstruck faces of the men. She raised her hammer at them, “Oy! What the hell are you looking at you perverts?!” 

It was no use. The men were mesmerized and blood started to drip out of their nose. Only Zoro, Luffy, Chopper and Paulie were not affected. Zoro had just finished putting on a yellow shirt and was busy tying his swords to his side, Luffy was occupied with trying to jump on Pygmy’s back after changing into a black pair of shorts, and Paulie was consciously looking away. Chopper was done changing and wore a pink long sleeved shirt but he was unaffected by Nami’s nudity.

“Okay! Now I’m ready for battle!” Nami exclaimed once she finished tying off her bikini top, mini skirt, and slung a denim jacket over her shoulders. She looked over at the men, who were kneeling on the floor, weakened by the exorbitant amounts of blood loss. “What are you guys doing?”

“Don’t ‘What are you guys doing?’ us?!” Paulie thundered at Nami, “How dare you so openly change in front of everyone, you shameless girl?!”

“Nice shamelessness,” the men chorused faintly.

“I couldn’t help it. We only have one car,” Nami said.

“Hide your belly! Belly and legs!” Paulie demanded, his cheeks growing pink. He then turned his wrath on the Franky Family twins, “You guys, too, Square Sisters! People like you corrupt society!”

“Don’t mind him,” Nana said as she pulled him away, “He’s the reason why I’ve never worn a bikini. I’d never hear the end of it.”

“Why would you wear a bikini?!” Paulie snapped, “You can’t even swim!”

“Oh no…” Lulu mumbled. Tilestone was not so subtle.

“Crap! Paulie-san! You mentioned a taboo subject!” he bellowed, “NO ONE IS SUPPOSED TO KNOW THAT NANA-SAN’S FEAR OF WATER!”

There was a stunned silence as everyone looked at Nana. She blushed furiously and punched Tilestone hard in the stomach. “You just told everyone, you idiot!”

“Nana...you can’t swim?” Nami asked.

“I’ve got Pygmy,” Nana said defensively and pointed at his saddle.

“How can someone who grew up in a water town be afraid of water?” Zoro asked incredulously.

“I got over it, okay?! Now get off my case!” Nana snapped. 

Paulie scratched the back of his head and stared anxiously at Nana. “Now that we’re talking about it...How did you get over your fear?”

Nana glared back at him. “What?” she demanded.

“Well, one day you couldn’t even dip a toe in a tub and then you were able to jump onto the tracks to fix the sea trains...We knew better to ask you but I’ve always wanted to know.”

Nana took a deep breath and then looked over at Pygmy, who wagged his tail back at her. “Franky...helped me.”

“Big Bro?!” Zambai gasped and Nana nodded.

“I used to sneak out to the scrapyard after work and without Icy noticing anything to get advice and insight from Franky...When he learned about my fear of water, he became intent on teaching me how to swim,” Nana explained.

Granny Kokoro laughed. “Franky has always been a great swimmer. He would be the perfect coach.” 

Nana couldn’t help but snort. “Too bad I wasn’t the perfect student. I was too stubborn and too afraid to really learn so Franky could only settle with teaching me how not to panic when I’m immersed in water...That’s why he suggested I build a saddle for Pygmy.”

“How did we not know this about our Big Bro?! We follow him everywhere!” one of the twins demanded.

Nana raised any eyebrow but before she could answer Granny Kokoro cut in. “Franky and Iceberg had long made a deal to avoid each other in order to keep anyone from knowing Franky was Cutty Flam. That deal also extended to Nana. Neither of them wanted Nana to get involved so Franky probably took some precautions to keep his meetings with Nana a secret…” she turned to Nana, “It was also why Iceberg never told you about who Cutty Flam really was or mentioned Pluton until now.”

Nana felt anger flare up inside her. “Yeah, well, look what good that did. They should’ve just told me about Pluton so I could’ve helped somehow.”

“They were just trying to keep you safe,” Granny Kokoro said.

“I could’ve kept THEM safe!” Nana snapped back. Her fists clenched to her side and her whole body was tight.

“How?!” Paulie demanded, “Lucci and them...The CP-9 members are strong and they would’ve killed the entire city if it meant getting their hands on the blueprints.”

“Then those blueprints should’ve been destroyed when the CP-9 members came to claim it!” Nana retorted.

“Hehehehe.” Granny Kokoro’s chuckle cut through the tension between Nana and Paulie. They turned to the old woman and she took a swig from her bottle. She grinned at Nana. “You know, I always wondered what Iceberg was thinking when he decided to adopt you but I think I now know the answer.”

Nana blinked. “What?”

“Iceberg is never going to admit it...but...you are exactly like Franky. Same mindset, same stubbornness, and even the same confidence in yourself.” Granny Kokoro smiled at Nana with a touch of sadness in her eyes. “I think raising you...was Iceberg’s attempt at finding a way to forgive Franky for what happened to Tom-san.”

Nana felt her stomach tighten. She felt her eyes sting with her tears and she inhaled a sharp breath. She could feel all eyes on her and she hated it. She cleared her throat and darted her eyes towards the door. “Well, it’ll all go to shit if we don’t get Franky and Nico Robin back,”  she grunted, “So let’s just focus on that, okay?”

“Nana-san” Lulu started to say and she glared at him.

“Don’t say another word!” she barked and marched towards the door, “Our focus should be on getting to the Puffing Tom. Not on Icy and certainly not on me. Now I’m going to go make sure this train is on track while you idiots get a grip.”

She slammed the door behind her and Pygmy and the shipwrights of Galley-La exchanged a look of concern.

“Meh! I can’t swim and I’m fine,” Luffy suddenly said with a grin. He had been listening intently during this exchange but now there was a laid back smile on his face. He started to shove a large hunk of meat into his pockets. “I wish they had made the pockets in these black shorts bigger,” he grumbled.

* * *

Nana rubbed the back of her neck and tried to release the tension by circling her head. She leaned out the window and watched the passing waters. The steam gauge showed that they had more than enough steam to cover them for awhile. The pipes and valves were as good of a shape as it could be and there was nothing to do be done in regards to the brakes. She was left with nothing but her thoughts.

Seeing the waves swell around her reminded her of the those “swimming lessons” with Franky. She had clung onto Pygmy’s back, shivering furiously, while he doggy paddled. 

“Let go, Nana-brat!” Franky would keep insisting but she refused to let go of Pygmy’s neck. He was her life preserver and the feel of the cold seawater around her body made her paralyzed with fear. 

“I can’t! I can’t!” she would cry again and again. 

She wore Franky down until finally he gave up and made peace with the fact that being able to get Nana into water was good enough. He then suggested making Pygmy’s saddle so that she didn’t accidentally choke her dog one day. 

Nana didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at that memory. Now that Iceberg was seemingly out of harm’s way, it seems the bad guys were trying to take away another important person in her life. She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head as if that would physically clear her mind. She lifted her eyelids and rested her chin on the windowsill. 

Something caught her eye and she jerked her head back up. She leaned further out the window for a better look. The waves were swelling and descending at great heights but there was something up ahead. She could’ve sworn she saw a glimmer of light. Her goggles were already over her eyes so she knew it wasn’t the spray of the seawater that was affecting her vision. 

She pulled out a small brass telescope from her pocket and brought it to her eye. She opened the telescope so she could get a closer look. She saw the light again and this time, she could see the detail of a sea train caboose. She quickly pulled down the intercom microphone.

“Hey...guys...You might want to come to the front and see this. We have company.”

“Hey guys!!! I see a train ahead of us!” 

Nana almost dropped the intercom and she looked directly above her. The rubber man was standing on the roof and making his way towards the front of the train again. “Luffy! What are you doing up there?!”

“Look! It’s the train. It must be the one Robin is in right?”

Nana frowned. “It can’t be...It’s definitely too early for us to already be catching up to them...Unless Sanji and them have done something to it. Do you think they’re there?”

Luffy grinned, “Only one way to find out. Gum Gum….” He grabbed onto the chimney with two hands and then kept walking backwards until he was stretched very far. Then he released his grip and shot forward. “Rocket!”

“Luffy!” Chopper gasped as he entered the engine room with Pygmy just in time to see his captain fly across the sea and into the train car ahead of them.

“He went to go check if your friends and Franky are in the car,” Nana said, with her eyes forward, “Judging by how the light is swaying and not getting smaller, I’d say that that train car is detached…”

“Do you think Sanji and Usopp got away with Franky and Robin?” Chopper asked hopefully.

Nana picked him up so he could see out the window himself. “We’ll see what Luffy finds in there,” she said and handed him the telescope.

They watched in silence as they waited for the rubber man’s signal. The car ahead started to shake and Nana could hear the faint sounds of gunfire.  _ It’s definitely a train car filled with government officials then… _

“Ah! Luffy’s come out!!!” Chopper shouted, “He’s crossed his arms. They’re not in there.” 

Nana casually turned on the intercom again. “Alright, nobody important in the train ahead. Now which one of you lazy bastards wants to clear the area so we don’t crash?” she asked dryly and then hung up.

“Oyyyy! Zoro!” Luffy shouted from stopped train car, as they moved closer and closer to it, “Cut them. They’re in our way.”

“Zoro?” Nana asked and looked down at Chopper curiously.

Chopper lifted his eye away from the telescope and nodded enthusiastically at Nana. “Zoro’s going to be the greatest swordsman in the world one day. Watch!”

As the Rocketman surged forward, Nana felt goosebumps along her skin. There was a danger in the air and the intensity was palpable. She pulled herself out of the window just enough so that she could see over the top of the train. She watched as the swordsman took steady steps towards the front of the engine room roof.

The wind blew hard against Zoro but he was not swayed by it at all. His eyes were darkened and the sides of his yellow shirt whipped behind him. “The ego of the entropic world…,” he growled lowly and grabbed two of his swords, “...can be slashed into pieces.”

They were inches away from the abandoned car but Nana’s attention was fixed on the swordsman and not up ahead. Zoro knelt down and crossed the hilts of his swords. “Two-Sword Style Sword Draw…”

With a blinding slash, the car split neatly into two pieces just as the Rocketman barreled through unscathed. The two halves flew past the train, with its passengers still standing on the floor. “Whaaat?!?!” the government officials exclaimed as Luffy casually jumped out of the car and onto the top of the Rocketman.

“Whaaaat?!?!?!” Nana heard the Franky Family scream from behind them.

The swordsman returned his swords back to his side and the pieces of the car fell into the water with a giant splash.

“Hey, Zoro…” Nana called out, still gripping tightly to the edge of the roof.

“Ah?” he asked, turning to her with a raised eyebrow.

“You’re stronger than you look.”

Zoro smirked and nodded approvingly at Nana before she lowered herself back into the engine room. She grinned at Chopper. “I can see why you guys don’t have that many people on your crew. You don’t really need them since you guys are all so strong.”

“Oh not me!” Chopper said with a wave of his hooves, “The monster fighters are Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji! I’m just the ship’s doctor.”

“I saw you fight the Franky Family, Chopper,” Nana said, “You were pretty good yourself.”

Chopper got a sheepish look on his face and he started to wiggle his hooves in the air. “Complimenting like that won’t make me happy, asshole,” he squealed.

Nana chuckled and then the smile faded from her face. “Chopper,” she ordered, “Give me the telescope.”

“What? Oh! Here!” Chopper replied and hurriedly placed the telescope in her hand.

Nana raised it to her eyes and then frowned. She immediately went back out the window. To her relief, the swordsman was still there. “Zoro, there’s-”

“Ah,” the swordsman grunted, “I see it…”

“It’s not you, right?” Nana asked.

Zoro shook his head. 

“See what?” Chopper asked.

Nana handed the telescope back to the reindeer. “Look ahead. There’s a sea king floating out there and it’s perfectly cut in half.”

Chopper gasped as he saw that Nana was right. There was a goldfish as big as a hill and floating in two pieces beside the rail. 

“Whoever did this...is still up ahead,” Nana replied solemnly. 

“Ah! Someone’s there on the tracks!” she heard Zambia cry from the back of the train, “Oh no! It’s the Slip-Slasher!”

“Slip slasher?” came Luffy’s voice.

“He’s Ship-Slasher T-Bone, a Captain at Navy Headquarters. He cuts pirate ships like steaks!” Zambia answered.

Nana stared up at the swordsman. “Oy...I’ll leave this to you...but if he even so much as scratches Rocketman, I’m holding you responsible,” she said calmly before climbing back into the engine room. She leaned an arm against the windowsill and looked forward. “Hey, Chopper…” 

“Yah?”

“Who’s stronger? Sanji or Zoro?”

“Huh? I don’t know...Those two fight each other all the time though...but no one ever won.” 

“Interesting…” Nana grew silent as they approached Captain T-Bone. He was a scary looking guy but not because he looked mean or cruel. His face was just so sallow and sunken it seemed that his skin was just a thin wrapping around his skull. He had his sword raised and was running at them without any hesitation.  _ You gotta admire his resolve. _

The air was thickened with the feel of bloodlust again. Zoro stepped into view as he dashed forward off the front of the train and into the sea below.

“Right-Angle Flying Bird....” T-Bone cried.

“Three-Sword Style...Bull Demon,” Zoro roared at the same time.

“...Bone Phoenix!” T-Bone shouted and unleashed a beam-shaped cut towards Zoro and the Rocketman. The cut bounced in the air and created sharp angular turns. The end of the beam formed a bird shaped head. It opened its beak as it got closer to the pirate hunter.

Zoro effortlessly dodged the attack and continued to run forward. He blocked T-bone’s sword and then crossed his own two swords with the blades pointing at the ship slasher. “Bold Hooves!”

T-Bone flew through the air with a painful cry and blood on his lips. The Rocketman sped past him before he landed into the sea water. Zoro was still on the tracks.

“Zoro!” Nana warned and he jumped up and to the side to avoid getting hit. He clung to the side of the train as it whipped through. Nana stretched her hand out the window and he took it. His rough hands were not affected by the rain and she pulled him into the engine room. 

Nana went to the back of the room and opened the door. “Want to head back and join the others?”

Chopper jumped out of his seat and nodded and Zoro calmly followed suit. Chopper was about to step out when Nana picked him up by the collar and dropped him on Pygmy’s back. He looked up at her in surprise.

“The wind is picking up,” Nana said, “You’ll fly off if you don’t hold onto something heavy.”

As soon as they got back into the passenger car, Zoro sat in a corner and took a nap. His snores were louder than Nana’s buzzsaws and Zambai dutifully covered him with a warm blanket.

“There’s no doubt about it,” Nami said with her hands on her hips,  “Sanji-kun and the others detached that sea train.” 

_ So if he’s the brawn,  _ Nana thought as she watched the sleeping swordsman,  _ Does that mean Sanji’s the brain? _

“Then, are we gonna catch up with them soon?” Luffy asked Nami excitedly.

“Probably,” Nami said.

“Wooo!” Luffy cheered, “We’re closing in on our enemy!”


	12. First Ones in a Fight

Nana was not happy. No, she was not happy at all and it was all because of that stupid frog. She gritted her teeth and spun the steering wheel hard to the right so that the train would head back towards the rails. Granny Kokoro stuck out a hand and stopped the steering wheel after about a half a turn. “It’s fine,” she said with a smile, “Let me do this. I can get it back on track.”

Nana scowled and picked up her hammer. She flung it on her back and then crawled up to the roof, where Luffy was letting that frog have it.

“Frog!” he screamed at Yokozuna.

“Ribbit!”

“Don’t ‘ribbit’ me, you jerk,” Luffy snapped. He hit Yokozuna with his palm, “The train got derailed because of your slap! We were finally about to catch up to Sanji and them. What are you going to do about it?!”

“Ribbit!” he shouted back defiantly.

“Yokozuna!” Nana bellowed as she marched over to the frog. He immediately froze in his tracks, when his eyes fell on Nana with her hammer. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?!” 

The frog slapped Luffy to the side. If it wasn’t for the rubberman’s fast reflexes, Luffy would’ve fallen off the train but he grabbed onto the edge at the last second. 

“Ribbit, ribbit!” the frog said happily to Nana.

“Don’t you ‘ribbit’ me too!” Nana thundered and raised her hammer at him, “Do you know how much--”

“Ribbit, ribbit,” he croaked with tears filling up his eyes.

Nana relaxed her stance and then she looked at the frog. “Yokozuna…you thought Granny Kokoro was in trouble...didn’t you?”

“Ribbit, ribbit!”

Nana sighed and set her hammer on her back. She pointed at the tender behind the engine room, “Fine. Just go sit over there.”

“Oh! Yokozuna! You thought we were kidnapped?” Granny Kokoro laughed from the window as Yokozuna leapt over and landed onto the coals, “Sorry for making you worry.”

She walked to the back of the engine room and stood by the door. Her eyes scanned through the large frog’s body, which was covered in deep scars. “Seriously, what happened to your body?...Since...that day nine years ago...since that incident that took Tom-san away...you’ve been challenging the sea train every single day.”

Granny Kokoro’s voice lost it’s light hearted laugh and it filled with concern and love. “You wanted to become strong, right? So that you won’t lose those you love again...So that you can protect those you love...”

“Ribbit,” the frog choked out. His teeth gritted and his eyes welled up with tears.

“Yokozuna,” Granny Kokoro commanded with a gentle smile, “Then now’s the time for you to show the result of that training!”

“Ribbit?” Yokozuna’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Franky, the one you love so much, has been taken away just like Tom-san was. This train is currently headed towards where he is, too,” Granny Kokoro explained, “Do you wanna come along?”

“Ribbit,” Yokozuna rasped and then he raised his head to let out a more determined croak, “RIBBIT!”

“That’s what I thought,” Granny Kokoro said with a nod. “Straw Hat! We’ve got one more comrade!”

“Okay! I got it!” Luffy shouted back with a grin.

Nana shook her head and jumped back into the room through the window. She patted Pygmy on the head and went straight to the steering wheel. She was surprised to see that Chimney, Gonbe, and Nami were in the room.

Nami was staring out the window but then turned to Nana, when she walked in. “I found a good current! It’s in the eight-o-clock direction.” Nana shot her a confused look and Nami gave her a thumbs up. “I’m a navigator,” she said confidently.

“Oh,” Nana replied and turned the wheel accordingly, “It seems you guys have quite a full crew then. You have your captain, swordsman, cook, doctor, the navigator, and….what’s Usopp?”

Nami hung her head depressingly and Nana was startled by her reaction. “What?! What? What did I say?!”

“Usopp is...no longer with us,” Nami said softly.

“He died?!” Nana screeched.

_ Thwack! _

A large lump formed on top of Nana’s head. “Don’t say something so inauspicious!” Nami growled with her fist raised. She then took a deep breath and regained her composure, “No...Usopp has left the crew.”

“Why?” Nana asked.

“He...wanted to fix the Going Merry but Luffy decided, as the captain, that we should get a new ship for the New World,” Nami replied quietly.

Nana was thoughtfully silent and she digested this information. Her mind flashed back to Usopp on the street, so determined to risk life and limb for that ship. Her heart went out to him but in her mind, she knew that a broken keel was the same as a broken spine.

“Oy, let me take over,” Granny Kokoro said and her hands covered Nana’s on the steering wheel, “We’ve wasted enough time as it is. I can get us back in one go.”

“Thanks, Granny Kokoro,” Nana said gratefully and released the wheel to her. She then turned to Nami, “So...what does Nico Robin do? I used to ask Iceberg about her but he never told me anything. When I was little, I thought he just had a weird obsession with orphaned girls.”

Granny Kokoro laughed at the wheel and Nami let out a small smile. “Robin...she is our anthropologist. She’s really smart and knows a lot about history and culture.” 

Nana folded her arms. “She doesn’t sound so bad.”

“She’s not...she’s not bad at all,” Nami replied.

“Well then,” Nana said with a smirk, “We better get her back before Franky rubs off on her.”

“Haha,” Granny Kokoro chuckled, “That’s what Iceberg used to worry to me about you.”

“....Granny…”

“Ah?”

“I know I made a deal with Icy that I’d stay with you but…” 

Granny Kokoro laughed, “If you want to go with them to the island, go. I’m not going to stop you.”

Nana smiled in relief, “You don’t think Icy will be mad?”

“Oh, he’s going to be furious but what’s he going to do? Besides, I think part of him wants to be here. That’s why he sent you.”

Nana nodded and was about to say more, when the sudden shouting from the Straw Hat interrupted her.

“Oyyyy!” he shouted from the front of the train, “I see the King Bulls!”

Granny Kokoro immediately yanked down the train whistle to signal to their friends up ahead. Nana pulled out her telescope and looked out the window. She spotted the Franky Family’s ship and there were a crowd of people on it. Behind the ship was the bright lights that indicated the day island of Enies Lobby. She moved the telescope downwards and then she saw Sanji, casually leaning over the railings in the back. She released a breath of relief that she didn’t realize she was even holding.

She moved her telescope so that she wouldn’t get caught up with the blonde. She jerked her head away from the telescope and then fit the eyepiece back on her eye.  _ Did I see correctly? Who is the masked man behind Sanji? _

The Rocketman chugged on through and soon the Franky Family was reattached to the back. Nana stood on the roof to watch Sanji and the masked man begin to make their way aboard along with the rest of the Franky Family. She clenched her fists to her sides when it was clear Franky wasn’t with them. She looked down at Pygmy, who barked up at her in comfort.

* * *

 

Sanji glanced up from where he stood just in time to see the look of disappointment and worry on the angel’s face. He pursed his lips around his cigarette. He had set out to save Robin-chan and on the way, he realized he needed to retrieve that mouthy cyborg for the angel. He had failed at both.

He followed Usopp into the back of the train and was quickly reunited with his crew. Nana also climbed down from the roof and through the window to join them. As soon as Nana saw them all in the light, she scoffed.  _ Tch. That masked man is Usopp! _

“Who are you?!” Luffy demanded at his former crew member. 

“My name is Sogeking. I was born on the island of snipers,” Usopp said with a deepened voice.

“Where’s the island of snipers?!” Chopper asked, awestruck by this confident stranger.

“It’s...in your hearts,” Usopp replied dramatically.

“Sogeking from the island of snipers…” Luffy and Chopper oohed in unison.

“Yes, I’m Usopp-kun’s best friend,” Usopp boasted, “I’m here because he requested that I assist you.” 

“H-Hero?!” Luffy cried with big, round eyes, “Since you’re wearing a cape, I  thought that might be the case…Amazing! I’ve never seen a hero before!”

“I see!” Chopper exclaimed, “He’s a hero because he’s wearing a cape?!”

“That’s right,” Luffy said assuredly, “Cape buffalos are heroes, too!”

“This...might be the dumbest conversation I’ve ever heard,” Nana muttered to Pygmy.

“That’s Usopp, right?” Zoro grumbled to Nami.

“Usopp...I’m glad he’s okay,” Nami said softly to herself.

“Yeah, that’s the long nose who marched into the Franky House,” Zambia grunted to no one in particular.

Sanji walked up to Nana. Now that he was closer, she could see the wounds on his body and face. There were some smudges and wrinkles along his usually pristine shirt and vest. He solemnly handed Nana her bag and her waterboard. “Nana-chan, I believe these belong to you.”

Nana took it from him and inspected her stuff. There were some scuff marks on the bag but otherwise everything was in top condition. Even her waterboard looked exactly the way she had left it. She turned back to Sanji and rage took over. 

_ Thwack! _

She punched him hard in the gut and he doubled over. Immediately, the Straw Hats stiffened and took a step toward her. “Oy! What do you think you’re doing?!” Luffy demanded but Sanji put up a hand to stop them.

“I understand, Nana-chan,” he gasped as he slowly stood back up, “You must be very angry with me for losing Franky. After all, he was with me when I called you guys. I don’t blame you-”

“Idiot!” Nana barked, “Never  _ ever _ value my belongings more than your own life. Do you understand me?!” 

Sanji looked up at her stunned. She had every right to be angry with him but he didn’t realize this would be the reason.  Nana kept her glare on the blonde and held up her waterboard for emphasis. “Why is it that you look like crap but my board looks untouched?! The inner material of this is steel. Why didn’t you use it to block your body or something, you idiot?! I didn’t make this for it to be decorational object. It’s a tool and a tool is to be used! Did you think you needed to prioritize this over your own well being?!” 

She shot a look at Usopp, who flinched at her glare. “Did you guys try to use any of my stuff at all?!”

“Yeep!” Usopp shrieked back, “I tried to but then he said that we were not worthy to touch them with our dirty hands.” 

Nana rolled her eyes and returned her gaze at Sanji, who stared at her in disbelief. “You...You’re not angry at me for not bringing back Franky?”

“Did I ask you to?!” Nana demanded, “I told Iceberg that I’d be the one to bring Franky back. I don’t remember ever mentioning your name. ‘Black Leg’ Sanji, listen and listen well because I sure as hell will beat you to a bloody pulp if I have to remind you.” She jutted a thumb at herself and straightened her spine. “Don’t help me unless I actually ask for it. Got it?”

Sanji drew the cigarette out of his mouth and let out a long stream of smoke before he smiled softly at the angel. “Your wish is my command, Nana-chan.”

“Idiot,” Nana scoffed. Her tone was more relieved than that of anger this time and she hung her messenger bag on her shoulders, “Now tell us what happened on the train and what the hell happened to Franky?”

Sanji took a seat along the bench and folded his hands in his lap. “Nami-san...Nana-chan...and all you other idiots…” he said solemnly, “Franky sacrificed himself for us to leave with Robin-chan but before we could get away, Robin-chan willingly went back to those CP jerks.”

“What?!” Everyone gasped.

“So before we go rescue Robin-chan, let me tell you something important,” Sanji continued, “Robin-chan has witnessed a Buster Call before and has feared it ever since she was a child. CP9 is taking advantage of that and abusing that vulnerability. It’s not that I’m trying to make excuses for not being able to get her back...but even if we march into our enemy’s territory, it doesn’t necessarily mean that she’ll let us help her. Buster Call is a hell that Robin-chan does not want to be brought back onto this earth and she will whatever it takes to prevent it from happening...Even if it means leaving us.”

They all stared in silence at the blonde. He had made a very valid point. Even if they were to catch up to Robin...would she even come back to them?

“It doesn’t matter!” Luffy declared and pumped his fists into the air, “I’m not going to stand for this! That darn Robin!”

Nami instantly knocked Luffy on the head with a light blue metal stick. “Why Robin?!” 

“Why not?” Luffy protested, “Why the heck doesn’t she want us to come rescue her?”

“She’s suffering thinking about what might happen to us after she’s rescued,” Nami explained.

“Who cares about that?” the captain retorted, “If we don’t do anything, she’ll be killed, right?! There’s no way she wants to die, so we’ll rescue her!”

“Even so-” Nami started to say but Zoro stopped her.

“Either way, what we have to do is the same. We’ll just rescue her,” he said. 

“Let’s beat the crap out of everyone and tear the place down!” Luffy said as he lifted an elbow and stretched his shoulders, “There’s a technique that I wanna try too!”

Paulie, who had been sitting by himself and away from the group, put down a piece of paper he had been holding for awhile. “You guys, come look at this,” he said. When everyone gathered around him, they saw that he had drawn a rough sketch of an island. “I’ve been to the island once for railway maintenance. I drew this based on my vague recollection of it.”

Enies Lobby was built on top of a giant, circular waterfall. There was an iron fence that encircled the entire island. The Main Gate stood at the front, guarding against non government officials and behind it was the Main Island Gate, blocking off unwanted visitors from the courtyard, where the government officials lived. Then came the Courthouse and then after that was the Tower of Law. There was no road between the Courthouse and the Tower of Law. The abyss of the waterfall stood in between the two buildings so they would need a figure out a way to get across without falling down and drowning. Paulie then pointed out the Gates of Justice, which was at the very the back of the island. That was accessible only through the Tower of Law.

“Now that I’ve seen how strong you guys are, it’s clear that you guys will be the ones to take down CP9,” Paulie said, “So you guys stay and wait on the sea for five minutes and charge into the main island in Rocketman through the main gate.”

“We’ll go in first and break open the main gate and the main island front gate,” Zambia added, “So that the train can pass through. After that, we’d like you to keep on moving no matter how many of us fall. We’re only a little over 60 people, but our enemy’s forces are probably well above 3,000. We’d like you guys to go after only CP9, avoiding unnecessary battles.”  

“Got it,” Luffy said with a determined nod, while Nana took a deep breath and mentally prepared herself.

She reached into her bag and pulled out a thin metal glove. It was made out of steel and it was sleek and smooth. It caught the sunlight from the window and the reflection flashed across Paulie’s face. He jerked up instantly and saw her put it on her right hand. It fit her hand perfectly without her having to take off her leather gloves and stopped short on the wrist. She flexed her fingers to gauge the movement and then brought her fingers down to form a fist. She grinned.

“Nana!” Paulie gasped, “Don’t tell me that you’re planning on going on the island?”

The rest of the group turned to her and she lowered her fist. Nana blinked back at him. “Of course I am. That’s why I got on the train in the first place.”

“Oooh! What’s that?! Are you a cyborg too?” Luffy asked excitedly, his eyes dazzled by the shiny object.

“I made it myself,” Nana said proudly.

“I thought you were only supposed to be here to be the engineer!” Paulie barked.

“For a train that nothing works except it’s steam engine and axles?” Nana shot back.

  
“You need to stay behind with Granny Kokoro and-”

“Stop trying to protect me when I’m not the one who needs it!” Nana thundered, “I wasn’t there to protect Iceberg when he needed me the most and I’m damn sure not going to let that happen to Franky. I have no intention of dying here and I am not going back to Water 7 without him.”

“You have no idea who you’re up against!” Paulie barked back, “Lucci and them are much stronger than anyone you’ve ever fought.”

“I’ve never lost a fight,” Nana countered.

“You’re acting like a spoiled brat!” Paulie retorted, “Iceberg-san might be be lenient towards you but I sure as hell won’t! You’ll stay on this train with Granny Kokoro and that’s final!”

Nana glared at him but before he could retort, Granny Kokoro’s voice interrupted through the intercom. “Okay, guys! We’re now at the front of the island. Take a good look at the sky behind Enies Lobby. Those are the Gates of Justice.”

The group, all besides Nana and Paulie, went to the window and looked out. The Gates stood as tall as a mountain and it casted a small shadow over Enies Lobby. “Those doors never open all the way,” Granny Kokoro explained, “When criminals go through them, they open just a little. Behind those doors is a nest of large Sea Kings, just like the Calm Belt so no ordinary ship can sail safely through there. The Navy has a secret way of getting through there.”

“Yosh! Leave it to us, the Franky Family, to open the gates for you!” Zambai shouted.

“And we’ll help!” Tilestone and Lulu added.

Nana took a step toward the door and felt Paulie’s hand on her shoulder to stop her. She glared back at him. “You told me to stay with Granny Kokoro so that’s where I’m going so back the hell off!”

“Fine,” Paulie said and went to open the door for her. He escorted her into the engine room and glared at her. “You stay here and don’t get involved. Granny Kokoro, I’ll leave her to you.”

Granny Kokoro chuckled as she steered the train. “If you say so.”

Paulie slammed the door shut and Nana exchanged looks with the old woman. They both smiled at each other. Nana patted Pygmy softly on the head. “Stay,” she commanded, “Stay with Granny Kokoro, okay?”

Pygmy whimpered and she licked his nose. He hesitantly did the same. She winked at him and put her goggles over her eyes. As she moved out of the window and onto the roof, she noticed Luffy was already up there himself.  _ How did he sneak out before I could?  _

“Oy, Luffy!”

He jumped in surprise and then turned to look at her. Nana brought her waterboard up onto the roof and then pulled herself up. “Can I hitch a ride?”

“Shi-shi-shi-shi. Of course,” he grinned as she walked over to him. He extended his arm and wrapped it around her waist. Luffy used his other hand to grab onto the railing and he pulled himself back before launched them both forward into the air and onto the fence. He landed right on the iron gate with Nana holding onto the metal top next to Luffy for support. 

“Oy, isn’t that Straw Hat?” She heard one of the Franky Family members call out, “And the Nana girl?”

“WHAT?!” the entire train shouted behind them. 

“Oy, Nana, get on my back,” Luffy said quietly and Nana dutifully did so, still holding onto her waterboard. The rubber man shot his arms forward and grabbed onto the top of the Main Gate. They sailed over the first part of the island and landed right where the marine flag was raised. 

“Whoah,” Luffy exclaimed excitedly as he looked around the island, “What the heck is this place?!”

“Ha,” Nana laughed and got off his back by sliding down the flagpole, “You really didn’t listen to any of the plan at all.” 

Luffy spotted the waterfall that bordered around the island. “What a huge hole! It looks like the island is floating...I see a town there too. I wonder if Robin is around that area...”

Suddenly, shots rang out towards Luffy and Nana quickly squatted low to avoid getting hit. “There’s someone up there!” they heard a group of marines shout.

Luffy grinned down at Nana, “You ready?”

Nana smiled back, “Yep!” 

He leapt off of the flagpole and Nana jumped off the edge of the tower, following closely behind the rubber man. They both landed on their feet and ran towards the Main Island Gate.  _ I’ll make Kaku regret teaching me how to safely jump from higher ground,  _ she thought. She stopped suddenly and got down on one knee. She pulled out a wrench and three wheels from her messenger bag.

“Nana-” Luffy called behind her.

“Go ahead!” Nana said as she turned her waterboard over, “I’ll catch up.”

There were a group of marines standing in front of the gate. Luffy was heading straight for them as Nana made some adjustments to her waterboard. It took three seconds flat for her to take out the fins and swap them for wheels. As soon as she was done, a sly grin spread across her face. She got back on her feet and put on her goggles. At the same time Luffy had approached the marines. He bounded up into the air and speared two men by extending his legs. 

“It’s Straw Hat Luffy!” someone shouted up.

“Alright! Land Mode is ready,” Nana cheered as she jumped onto her board and pressed down. She jetted forward as the canisters blasted her off. Nana did a rapid scan of the group when they were close enough and calculated about a hundred men coming towards her.  _ Okay, _ she thought and reached for her hammer,  _ Here we go! _

“Wait! Who is that?!”

“She’s not one of us so she must be part of the Straw Hats!”

“Nana Special…” Nana raised her hammer, which had started to vibrate intensely once it connected with her glove. She threw it forward towards the group of men, “Hammerang!”

The hammer sailed through, knocking the men and creating a pathway for her. Once it reached the back of the group, it reversed and flew towards Nana, who was skating forward on her waterboard. The hammer’s handle landed hard at the center of her glove. She wasted no time and swung her hammer around her as she continued towards the next gate. Luffy, who was right by her, unleashed a flurry of punches. “Where…are...,” he cried as he kept attacking the marines, “...our nakama?!” 

* * *

Sanji almost bit his cigarette in half. His mind was too preoccupied with Robin-chan for him to be as observant as he usually was. He shouldn’t have taken his eyes off of Luffy and now the angel had gone off with him too. This was the second lady to get away from him in the last two hours. That did not sit well with him at all.

“I’m going to kill that girl,” Paulie growled with his cigar in his mouth, “And Granny Kokoro too!”

“But that’s Nana-san,” Lulu said. He pushed a spike of hair down from the top of his head and another spike poked out from the side, “Always the first one to rush into a fight…”

“Nana-san will be fine!” Tilestone bellowed, “She was raised by the shipwrights of Dock #1 and she has her weapons!!!”

“She’s with Luffy. She’ll be fine,” Chopper added with positivity.

  
_ Yeah...Luffy, _ Sanji thought to himself,  _ I’ll leave the angel to you then. _


	13. The Courthouse

Nana and Luffy had successfully made their way past the first two sections of the island, past the Main Gate and Main Island Gate. They had left a pile of unconscious marines behind. Nana guessed they had taken out maybe two hundred men, maybe three. Once they had cleared that group, Luffy had thrown him and Nana over the second gate.

They were in the courtyard of Enies Lobby, which looked more like a small city. Tan concrete buildings lined up cobblestoned streets. It slowed down her waterboard due to it's bumpy surface but not by much. She and Luffy had decided to separate and meet at the front of the Courthouse, which was at the other end of the courtyard. The marines seemed to be mostly focused on Luffy. However, she still had a few hundred marines at her tail. It was more efficient for Luffy and her to divide and conquer instead of taking all of them at once. Nana had went in a roundabout way but she found herself just a few blocks from the Courthouse.

The sounds of explosions were coming off in all directions. The ones that were ahead of her, she assumed was directed at Luffy and she knew for sure the noise behind her were from the rest of their group. Based on the increasing number of blasts and volume, it sounded like they had picked up speed and were catching up to her and Luffy.

"Hammerang!" Nana called again as she flung her hammer backwards. It zipped through her pursuers, cold clocking them and sending them tumbling to the ground. Nana left her arm out and didn't even look behind when her trusty hammer came rushing back to her.

More agents and marines came running towards her from the side streets and she gritted her teeth. The number of government officials here seemed to be endless. Her eyes caught a particularly tall building and she had a thought. _Maybe going on higher ground would be better?_

She pressed down hard on a pedal and accelerated her waterboard. She smashed the front door of the building without even stopping. She braked hard on her waterboard when she reached the staircase. Her waterboard could go up the incline if she went full speed but she wanted to preserve the amount of steam in her canisters. She leapt off, scooped up her waterboard, and made a dash up the stairs. The marines were nipping at her heels but Nana kept running.

She ran up twelve flights before seeing the doorway to the roof. She stopped at the top of the stairs and tossed her waterboard towards the door to the roof. She raised her hammer over her head and grinned at the officials running at her. The hammer started to vibrate against her glove. "Nana Special…"

"Stop her! She's an intruder!" the marines shouted, "She's-"

"Thunder Shock!" Nana brought her hammer down right in the middle of the top step. A shock wave was sent forward and a deep crack spliced through the stairs. It wound all the way down to first floor. The stairs crumbled beneath their feet and sent her chasers hurtling to the bottom. Nana let out a breath of relief and placed her hammer on her back. _That should stop them for a little while._

She casually picked up her waterboard and kicked down the door. When she stepped onto the rooftop, she froze. There were a five burly marines that stood along the edge of the roof. Beside them were large trench mortars, barrels of gunpowder, and a pile of mortar bombs. The marines stared at Nana in surprise.

"Oh shit," she mumbled and grabbed for her hammer right as they pulled out their guns. She kicked her waterboard forward and dove onto it, belly first, just as their gunshots rang out. She skidded forward with her hammer in hand. She swung it out from right to left. "Nana Special," she cried as the hammer flew in an arc and knocked the marines down by their knees, "Hammer Scythe!"

The men lost their balance and their heads collided against the trench mortars. They all slumped down to the floor and dropped the guns in their hands. Nana took a deep breath and got back up on her feet. She gingerly took each of the marines' gun by the tips of her fingers and dropped them one by one over the roof.

She put her hands on her hips and looked down at the streets below. _Where is Luffy?_

There was a thunderous crashing sound from the middle of the courtyard and she bolted to the nearest corner of the roof. She gasped when she saw one of Franky's King Bulls pulling forward through the streets with people on its back. However, it wasn't going completely straight and rammed into all the adjacent buildings.

"Why is it swerving?! Can it not see?!" Nana yelled out loud and then her eyes fell on a building that was a few blocks ahead. It stood in the middle of the street and if the King Bull was blind, it would knock straight into it. "Ah crap."

She ran to the nearest trench mortar and was happy to see that it was already armed and ready. She aimed the trench mortar right at the center of the building and took a deep breath before firing.

_BOOM!_

Sanji and Zoro froze in place as they stood on the neck of Gomorrah. The building they were just about to destroy had collapsed as if on its own. Debris and dust from the building billowed out from the side, engulfing the government officials near it.

"What...what just happened?" Zoro asked.

"The building collapsed by itself!" Chopper shrieked from behind.

"That's impossible," Nami snapped.

Gomorrah bulldozed through the debris without any hesitation and finally collapsed at the steps of the Courthouse. His passenger cheered and slid down to the street. "It's the Courthouse, Gomorrah!" Zambai shouted.

"We're here, Gomorrah!" Chopper cried to the blinded but smiling King Bull.

"Can you see Luffy?" Nami shouted as she over to Zoro and Sanji, who were silently looking at the Courthouse.

"No," Sanji said, "If the rooftop is that high, we can't just climb up from here."

"No…" Zoro agreed, "It's not like we're made of rubber."

"How many people of CP9 did you see up there?" Nami asked.

"It was only the big horn guy we saw," Zoro stated.

Distant footsteps and shouting started to come towards them from different sides of the street. "Hurry to the courthouse plaza!" they heard several men shout, "The drawbridge isn't down yet! Let's corner them!"

Out of nowhere, a giant iron ball with a chain attached to it came flying from one of the alleys and towards Nami. Zoro grabbed his swords while Sanji got ready to jump into the air and kick it down. Yokozuna started to charge forward from Gomorrah's side.

_Boom!_

The iron ball splintered into a million pieces and Nami was knocked onto her feet from the blast. This time, the explosion was close enough for Sanji and Zoro to see it's trajectory. They followed the smoke clouds up to the rooftop of a nearby building, where Nana stood. She had her goggles on and her hands were on the sides of a trench mortar. She didn't seem to be paying attention to them though.

"It's that Nana girl…" Zoro growled.

A strong gust of wind blew past her, causing the thick smoke coming out from the barrel of the trench mortar to float around her. In that moment, to Sanji, it looked like she was an angel among the clouds and his heart skipped a beat.

His eyes were fixed on her as he watched her dash to another trench mortar and aim it at something. He didn't even bother to turn around and see what her target was. All he needed to know was that she was up there, watching out for them, and protecting them...Protecting him.

"A guardian angel…" he murmured.

_Boom!_

Nana pulled the trigger and a corner building along the edge of the square was blown to bits. Sanji finally tore his eyes away from the angel. A large man skidded out onto the street among the smoke cloud. He had on a metal helmet, light armor around the shoulders, and the words "Guilty" tattooed on his arm. In his hands, he held a severely damaged chain. "This is the guy who just threw the iron ball at Nami-san," Sanji observed.

"Whoah, this guy is huge!" the Franky Family gasped, "He's probably part of one those specialized groups like the Watchdogs."

Before anyone else could hear anything else, they heard loud footsteps and shouting coming at them. Two large group of marines rounded the corner and were making their way towards the plaza. "Get them!" they shouted.

"We need to hurry up," Zambai yelled, "The guards are closing in on us!"

_Boom! Boom!_

Two different buildings on either side of the courthouse plaza fell forward from the bottom and collapsed into large piles of rubble that blocked the marines' path.

The Straw Hats all turned back to look at Nana, who leapt over the rooftop and flew down to the street. She used her hammer to drag along down the side of the building and create some resistance to slow down her fall. She landed with both feet and then skated on her waterboard towards the Straw Hats.

"Like descending from the heavens," Sanji whispered to himself.

He was slightly taken aback by the effect she had on him. His first instinct was to rush over to her and tell her what a glorious, heavenly creature she was but somehow he couldn't seem to move his feet. He was suddenly quite conscious of his own actions. Back on the train he had assumed she was angry at him for not being able to save Franky. He always thought he had a good gauge on how a lady was feeling but it seemed his instincts were all wrong when it came to the angel. He couldn't read her. One wrong move could make the angel disappear from his life forever...or worse, make her hate him.

He had never minded what a woman thought of him since, in his opinion, it was his duty to cater to their feelings and not the other way around. He had managed to anger and offend many women in his lifetime, which he had always quickly gotten over but for some reason, the look of rage and hurt the angel had for him, when she thought the Straw Hats were behind the assassination attempt, was something he couldn't shake off. Even though it was a misunderstanding and she had since forgiven him, he would never be able to forget it. He never wanted her to look that way at him again.

"Nana!" Chopper's cry interrupted Sanji from his thoughts.

"What's the situation?" Nana asked as she swerved to a stop right at the courthouse steps.

"We were about to ask you," Nami replied with her hands clutching a light blue metal rod that Nana found very interesting, "We thought you were with Luffy."

Nana picked up her waterboard and shook her head. "We split up after getting through the Main Island Gate and were supposed to meet up here. There were just too many marines for us to make a straight dash to the Courthouse."

"Ah, last time we checked, Luffy was already up there," Zoro said and pointed up at the rooftop, where Nana could see a slight crack on the edge, "...with one of the CP9 guys with horns."

"Blueno, probably," Nana guessed and then turned to Chopper, "Pygmy...is he…?"

"He stayed behind with Granny Kokoro," Chopper replied with a nod.

"Good boy," Nana muttered to herself, "What about Paulie and-"

"They're all fine," Zoro said harshly, "They all just stayed behind to keep the marines off of our backs. Now can we all move on?!" He sliced cleanly through a corner of huge stone doors of the courthouse. "Let's head in," he grunted.

"H-H-He cut through that thick stone!" Zambai gasped while the swordsman disappeared into the building.

Nana put her hands on her hips and marveled at the newly cut entrance. "Just when I thought I knew just how strong Zoro was…" she said and she grinned at Chopper, "It seems more and more likely we'll be able to get Franky and Robin back."

A fire lit in the pit of Sanji's stomach and he bolted towards the entrance. He raced past the angel and Chopper and into the courthouse. He'll be damned if he was to be outshined by that shitty swordsman. "Out of my way!" he roared, "ROBIN-CHWANNNN! I'M COMING TO SAVE YOU!"

When he entered into the courthouse, the morimo was in the middle of making a big mess for the government to clean up. A swirling tornado of sword slashes hurled around the marines that were inside the first floor of the building. Sanji leapt into the air and unleashed a flurry of kicks at the ones Zoro had not gotten to yet.

"Oy, don't get in my way, you shitty morimo!" Sanji yelled.

"Huh?!" Zoro was incredulous. "I was fighting first. You're the one getting in _my_ way."

"WHAT?!" Sanji shouted and he swung a leg out at Zoro, who blocked it the back of his Wado Ichimonji, "I can take you down right here, right now!"

"Bring it!" Zoro seethed.

"Why the hell are you two fighting?!" Nana shouted as she, Chopper, and Nami entered the courthouse, "Shouldn't our focus be on getting to the roof?!"

"How dare you make me look bad in front of Nana-chan, you shitty swordsman," Sanji seethed at the swordsman. He grabbed the collar of Zoro's shirt.

"Don't put the blame on me, Curly Brow! Women naturally hate pervy idiots like yourself!" Zoro snapped, grabbing the front of Sanji's shirt as well.

"Order! Order!"

The banging of a gavel caught everyone's attention. "Shut up!" Sanji and Zoro roared up at the source.

A three headed judge was banging his gavel while sitting on a rather large the marble bench at the center back of the courthouse. "Order, order!" the middle head demanded, which was a face of an old man with a long, white beard, "This is a sacred chamber of law."

"Ugh, what a nuisance," Nana muttered as she looked around the room, "I just want to get up to the roof!"

Nana's words entered Sanji's mind. His eyes narrowed and he quickly let go of Zoro's shirt. Sure, the shitty swordsman can show off with his flashy sword and _maybe_ the morimo was equal to him when it comes to physical abilities but when it came to mental skills...

"We've now cast judgement on your inevitable fate!" the middle judge continued to say. A group of marines and government agents in black suits started to assemble in front of the bench to listen to the verdict, "Their crime is as follows-"

"Alright, guys," Sanji said to the group, ignoring the judges completely. "See those stairs besides the judges? Let's take those and start heading up. Even if they don't lead us directly to the roof, it'll get us closer to it than we are now." He turned towards Zambai, "You and everyone else will stay behind to stop pursuers at the door."

Zambai grinned, showing that he was aligned with this plan. "We've got your back so just charge ahead."

"Alright," Nana said and put her waterboard back down on the floor, "Let's get to it."

"Can that go up stairs?" Chopper asked excitedly pointed at her waterboard.

Nana turned and winked at him. "Jump on and I'll give you a ride."

"REALLY?!" Chopper said with stars in his eyes. He transformed back into his original form and he got on the board, clinging onto Nana's legs.

Nana placed her goggles over her eyes, "Okay...Let's do this."

"Let me clear the way," Zoro said as he fitted his Wado Ichimonji into his mouth.

"Ahhh! How rude!" one of the black suited government agents cried, "They ignored our sacred trial."

"Enbima Yonezu…." Zoro stooped low and crossed his other two swords in front of him.

"Oy! I just said that I'll take care of those idiots!" Sanji yelled as he charged forward past the swordsman, "Party Table Kick Course!"

"Idiot," Zoro growled and flew forward, cutting through the government officials, "Onigiri!"

Hundreds of incapacitated men fell hard onto the ground as the judges watched with their jaws dropped. Zoro stood back up and sheathed his swords, while Sanji straightened his shirt and dusted off his pants. "Alright, let's go," Zoro said.

Sanji glared at Zoro before rushing up the steps like a gust of wind. "Come on! We can't forget the task at hand!" he barked, "Robin-chan is waiting for us so follow me. Don't worry, Nami-san and Nana-chan, I'll protect you and save the day!"

"Who died and made him captain?" Zoro asked exasperatedly.

"Who said I needed you to save me?!" Nana demanded at the same time. She pressed down on hard on a pedal and she and Chopper shot forward at full force to make the incline.

"Ahhh Nami!" Chopper screamed, clinging onto Nana's leg, when they were in the middle of the stairs. He was looking behind them and down the stairs, "We took our eyes off of Zoro and-"

Nami skidded to a halt and almost fell over in shock. Zoro was running towards a door towards the right of the Courthouse on the first floor.

"Zoro! You're going the wrong way!" Chopper screamed down at him.

He turned and looked incredulously up at at them. "What?!"

"I said the stairs!" Nami hollered back, "What made you think you should go that way?"

"Maybe he should ride with me instead," Nana suggested.

"That wouldn't help...If anything, that might get _you_ lost," Chopper said sadly.

"Shut up! You didn't explain the directions well enough," Zoro snapped as he ran towards the stairs.

"Zoro...I'll try to make some medicine for hopelessness…" Chopper offered as the swordsman corrected his path.

"Hopelessness?!" Zoro sputtered.

Nana couldn't help but chuckle. "...And I thought Dock #1 was filled with oddballs."

A dark shadow fell over her and Chopper. Her head shot up to see the three headed judge flying towards them with a large sword raised over the middle judge's head. "I'm the Chief of Justice! Don't ignore me!"

"AHHHHH!" Chopper screamed and Nana swiftly reached for her hammer.

"Nana Special!" she shouted and threw her hammer upwards, "Hammerang!"

The hammer head collided with their sword first and broke the blade in half but it didn't stop there. It continued to rise and hit the middle judge squarely between the eyes. It sent the Chief of Justice hurling backwards and back down to their bench. Nana kept her hand out and within seconds the hammer was back in her grip. She put it back on her shoulder and faced forward again.

"Nana-san took out the Cerberus!" the Franky Family gasped from below.

"Your hammer...came back?!" Chopper exclaimed.

Nana held her metal gloved hand out so he can see it up close. In the middle of her palm was a small circle of a darker metal. The material was different than the rest of her glove. There was also a small metal base on the glove, encircling her wrist. "It's a high powered magnet," she said and closed her fist and then turned the metal base slightly, "I can control it and match the frequency of my hammer and any other metal weapons."

She was about to push her pedal down when she felt a hand on her shoulder. It belonged to Nami. "Hey, so your hammer is pretty strong and you're a pretty good fighter, right?"

"Of course," Nana scoffed and lifted it again for her to see, "You just realized-"

Suddenly, Nana was pulled off of her waterboard by Nami, who quickly took her place and sped off. "Thanks, Nana! We'll meet you at the top!"

"Nami! WHAT DID YOU DOOOOOOO?" Chopper's cries rang out as they skated off into the empty hallway.

"What the hell, Nami?!" Nana yelled behind them but then sighed when she realized they were already out of earshot. She scowled and got on her feet. "Zoro, can you believe Nami just- OH MY GOD HE'S GONE TOO!"

Nana put a face to her palm when she realized that the swordsman had wandered off again. She paused and then reached for her hammer and continued to run forward. _Fine. As long as everyone else is heading towards the roof, I might as well too._


	14. the Rooftop

**** Nana gripped her hammer in her hand and panted heavily. She had already made her way up several floors. She knew she was getting close to the top when she rounded a corner and came face to face with two tall and muscular men with “Guilty” tattooed on their arm and each holding a heavy chain with a large, iron ball at the end.

_ Clang! Clang! _

The two men sent their iron balls flying towards her and Nana ducked and rolled out of the way. The balls bounced along the floors, creating large indentations as they went, while the two men reeled it back to them. 

She had been playing this duck and roll game with them for longer than she had intended and Nana knew she was wasting time here. Without her waterboard, she was considerably slower and she needed to figure out a way to win this battle and fast. 

“Hehehehe,” the two men laughed nastily, “Guilty...you are guilty!”

They swung their chains and hurled the ball towards Nana once more. The balls were flung side by side and at the exact same speed. Suddenly, Nana got an idea. Instead of avoiding it, she stood her ground and quickly moved her hammer to her left hand. She raised her right iron-gloved hand in front of her, with the palms out, while she swung her hammer across from right to left with her left hand.

_ Boom! _

The ball on the left was batted out of the way and crashed through the wall on the righthand side while the ball on the right stuck straight onto Nana’s glove. The sudden impact from Nana’s hammer had caught the first guard by surprise and he lost his grip on his chain. His weapon went flying out of the building.

Nana skidded slightly back from the force of the iron ball in her hand but she held her ground. The still armed guard tried to pull back his weapon and then was shocked to find that his ball would not come back to him.

“What?!” he cried.

“I find you guilty of underestimating the power of magnetic fields,” Nana scoffed. She turned the ring around her glove, “Repel! _ ” _

The iron ball shot forward from her hands and back towards the guards. It knocked them over like pins in a bowling lane, even breaking a few walls behind them as they went. The sight of the crumbling walls gave Nana another idea and she ran towards the now unconscious men.

She picked up the chain of the iron ball and then looked up at the ceiling. “If I need to go up,” she mused, “Then I should just go up…”

Nana secured the end of the chain around her right leg. She fitted her goggles over her eyes and then took a deep breath.

She slipped a hand beneath the iron ball and then threw it up into the air. “Batter’s up,” she muttered. Swiftly, she grabbed her hammer and then swung it upwards, smashing the ball straight up. The ball crashed through the ceilings with Nana dangling upside down from the chain around her leg.

Finally, it broke through the last ceiling and Nana sailed up past the roof and into the sky. She quickly untangled her leg from the chain and flipped in the air so that she could land safely onto the roof. The ball started to lose its traction and fell straight down back through the hole it had created, just as Nana landed firmly on her feet just inches away from falling through herself.

“Whew,” she breathed and then looked around the roof. 

She was not surprised to find that she was the last one to arrive. All the Straw Hats were already on the roof with Luffy standing on the ledge with his back turned to her. 

“Ahhh! Nana-channnnn! You have soared through the skies and straight into my heart!” Sanji cheered, taking a break from pulling Sogeking’s head out of the roof.

“Oy! Hurry up and get Sogeking out!” Nami demanded and then she inhaled sharply when she remembered something, “Ah! Nana...The idiot, Zoro, broke your waterboard in half-”

The swordsman, who was about to slice the floor where Sogeking’s head was lodged in order to free him, snapped his head up and glared at the navigator. “WHAT?!” Zoro protested, “How did I break it-?”

“Because of your stupid idea to cut straight through to the roof!” Nami yelled back.

The argument continued loudly but Nana couldn’t hear a word of it. She didn’t even react to an unconscious Blueno in the corner. Her face was pale and her ears were ringing. Her heart pounded in her chest and she was at a loss of words as her attention was completely zoned in on what Luffy was looking at as well. Nana’s eyes bore into the cruel, empty ones of Lucci and her heart grow cold.

The rest of the CP9 group stood around him. There were six of them altogether standing on the balcony of the Tower of Law. Lucci, Kaku, Kalifa, and a man with a thin, long mustache and a wolf like grin stood on the ledge and behind them were two large men. At least, Nana guessed they were men. One had a torso shaped like a bowling ball and had green hair with a zipper for a mouth. Next to him was a pink haired man with full Kabuki makeup on. 

“Oh...Nana-san,” Kaku called over, “I didn’t realize you came too.”

“Nana-brat?!” Franky’s voice suddenly exclaimed and then his face popped over the ledge of the balcony. He was standing near the center with Robin on his right. “What the hell are you doing here?”

Nana’s tears started to flood her goggles but she couldn’t move. She couldn’t even breathe. Her fists clenched to her side. Knowing who had betrayed Iceberg was one thing but seeing it in person was a lot harder than she had thought. “How dare you...” she finally whispered. 

She dashed towards the edge of the roof. She dug her fingers to the side of the ledge so hard that her metal glove created dents in the concrete. “HOW DARE YOU DO THIS TO ICEBERG?!” she screamed, “And to Paulie?! We thought of you as friends!  _ I  _ thought of you as friends! Well, except for you, Kalifa, you were always such an annoying bitch.”

“Language, Nana-san,” Kaku warned while Kalifa adjusted her glasses.

“How rude,” Kalifa huffed.

Lucci smirked, “So you’ve come for revenge.”

“I’ve come for Franky!” Nana roared, who was trying really hard to calm down. It was clear they showed no signs of remorse so there was no point in Nana wasting her breath but she just couldn’t control herself. “...I’ve come to help the Straw Hats get Robin back.” 

“Ow! Nana-brat-” Franky started to shout but Luffy interrupted him. The rubber man stood on the parapet cap right above Nana and the mentioning of Robin’s name brought him back to the point.

“I’m begging you, Robin!!!” he shouted, “You can go ahead and say you want to die or whatever, but say those things by our side!”

“He’s right, Robin-chan!” Sanji cheered from behind.

“Robin! Come back!!!” Chopper added as well.

Nana finally broke her glare at Lucci and studied the infamous Nico Robin. She was tall and beautiful. Her eyes were the same as the ones in her wanted poster - big and black. However, in the photo, her eyes were empty and now, as far as Nana could see, they were filled with worry and tears.

Suddenly, the rest of the Straw Hats marched up to the ledge in unison and they jumped on top of the parapet caps flanking each side of its captain with Nami on one end and Chopper at the other. The wind blew past them, making Usopp’s cape flutter behind him and Sanji’s cigarette smoke disperse. Nana stared up at each of the Straw Hat’s resolved faces and then she took a deep breath. 

She slowly put her goggles on the top of her head and then wiped the tears from her face. She climbed on top of the parapet cap next to Nami and stared defiantly up at Lucci and his group.

“Idiot!” Franky shouted over to her, “Don’t risk your own life for me, Nana-brat! If you stand with them, you’re putting a target on your back. That’s not what Bakaberg wants and I don’t want that either!”

“You’re the only family I’ve got left!” Nana yelled back. Franky’s eyes widened and Nana continued. “You and Iceberg...and even stupid Paulie are the closest thing to a family for me. I’ve lost family before and I don’t plan on doing that again.”

She clenched her fists to her side. “I don’t know what this Buster Call is or what kind of weird super human powers those CP shits have...but I don’t care! I’m going to get you out of here even if it means I have to walk through the depths of hell!”

She pointed a finger at Franky and puffed up her chest. “I’m going to save you, Big Bro!!!”

Franky’s breath caught in his chest. “What...what did you say?”

“You heard me,” Nana growled angrily even though there was a small blush in her cheeks, “You’re my Big Bro.”

There was a pause before Franky’s tearful wail pierced the air. “OWWWW!!! I’M NOT CRYING, YOU STUPID BRAT. Stop saying I am!” 

Nana let out a short breath of laughter at Franky’s behavior and then moved her attention to Nico Robin, who was looking at her with surprise. 

“I don’t know what your story is,” Nana called out to her, “But these government shits have turned my life hell in just one night so I can’t imagine the pain you’ve been dealing with your whole life. I gave Luffy word that I’ll help him get you back but now I’m giving you  _ my word _ that I will give these government bastards a taste of the hell they so enjoy creating.” 

“Just leave it to us, Robin!” Luffy called.

Nami, Sanji, Usopp, and Chopper smiled confidently at their captain’s words while Zoro’s eyes narrowed. 

“Luffy,” Zoro said solemnly from the captain’s side, “Once the drawbridge comes down, we can rush over to the other side.”

“Drawbridge?” Luffy asked as he folded his arms across his chest.

“Ah,” Zoro said, “The Franky Family is working on getting it down now.”

“Geez,” Sanji scoffed, “When it’s right in front of us…”

“Oy! CP9!!!” a strange man with purple hair and a weird leather mask stepped into view. He called to Lucci and the others, “I give you permission to kill them, but take them on here at the Tower of Law!”

The man with in the leather mask was standing on the other side of the balcony and he yelled out towards the Straw Hats and Nana. “Oy! You pirates! Get it in your heads that putting on a brave front doesn’t change anything! You’re up against the power of the assassin group CP9 and the weight of the Gates of Justice that can’t be opened by human strength.”

He then held up a shiny golden object in the palm of his leather gloved hand. “And...above all things, right now, I have the authority to exercise Buster Call by using this golden transponder snail!”

“Buster Call,” Nana heard Robin gasp.

“That’s right,” the leather mask sneered, “The same thing that wiped out your hometown twenty years ago. The name ‘Ohara’ has since been wiped off of the map.” 

“Robin’s hometown?” Chopper asked.

“That damn leather faced bastard,” Sanji seethed.

“Don’t! Don’t do it!” Robin cried frantically.

“Oooh,” the man taunted, “I like that reaction. It gives me chills. Doe it mean that you want me to press this button?”

“Do you really understand what’ll happen when you press it?” Robin asked with eyebrows furrowed.

“Of course I do,” he replied gleefully, “It’ll eliminate the possibility of the pirates escaping from this island. Just with a press of a button. It’s just that simple.”

“It is NOT that simple!” Robin shouted.

“Oooh,” the man jeered again and he started to move his thumb over the golden button, “Is this bringing back memories for you? If you like, shall I try pressing it? Right here, right now?”  

“What’re you doing?! Stop it!!!” Robin cried.

The man’s menacing grin was replaced with a scowl. “You sure talk cocky, don’t you?” he huffed.

“You said ‘Ohara’ got wiped out on the map,” Robin exclaimed, “But can you see humans on the map? Because the World Government only sees the world as a map, you can do such a cruel thing!”

Her voice was shaking with both fury and fear. “Buster Calls are a heartless power that even makes you lose sight of your goal.” Robin fell to her knees. “You mustn’t use it. Not that. Never…! Not that!” she pleaded, “If...you exercise a Buster call right here, right now...then together with Enies Lobby, you guys, too, will disappear.”

The man took a step back. “D-Don’t be ridiculous!” he stammered, “There’s no way we’d be eliminated by our own people’s attack! What’re you saying?!”

“Twenty years ago…” Robin said with her eyes darkened, “Everything was taken away from me and many people’s lives were ruined. It was caused by a single attack. Buster Call. That attack is now targeted on the friends i was finally able to find, whom I can be myself with.”

She got up to her feet and then ran over to the ledge to see her nakama. “The more I wish to be with you,” she called out to them, “The more my fate will show its fangs to you! No matter how far I go on the sea, I have a huge enemy that I can’t shake off...because the world and its darkness are my enemy.”

She raised her voice even louder. “The incident with Aokiji..and now this...I’ve already dragged you into my troubles twice! If this continues on forever, even though you guys are good-natured...you’ll eventually feel that I’m a burden! I’m sure you’ll betray me one day and abandon me! That’s what I’m most afraid of. That’s why I don’t want you guys to rescue me. If I’m going to die someday anyway, I want to die right here, right now!”

“Nico...Robin…” Nana whispered.

“Now it makes sense,” Zoro snarled.

The leather masked man let out a loud and obnoxious cackle. “I see! That indeed is a sound argument,” he laughed, “That’s true. No one is stupid enough to think that having you isn’t a burden.”

He pointed up at the World Government flag that was waving at the top of the Tower of Law. “Look at that symbol, you damn pirates! That logo indicates the unity of over 170 member countries spanning the four seas and the Grand Line! This is the world! Do you now realize how completely powerless you guys are to fight against it?! Do you realize how huge of an organization this woman has been pursued by?”

They stood in silence for a second, while watching the flag wave in the wind. “I now completely understand the identity of Robin’s enemy,”  Luffy said without taking his eyes off of the flag, “Sogeking! Shoot through that flag.”

“Roger,” the masked sniper replied. He held up a giant green slingshot, “This is my new weapon...I’ve named it Kabuto!”

“Have a good look at its power!” Sogeking shouted as he fitted a small white pouch into the pocket and pulled back the rubber strings, “Special attack...Firebird Star!”

He released the pouch into the air and it immediately was engulfed into a giant ball of flames. It soared through the air, forming into a phoenix, and shot clean through the flag. A burst of light and flames consumed the flag and its flagpole. For a second it was like a beacon of bright light. 

“Mission accomplished,” the sniper king said as he set his Kabuto down and watched the flag continue to burn.

“Are you insane?!” the leather masked man demanded, “Don’t think that you’ll be able to survive after making the entire world your enemy!” 

“BRING...IT...ONNNNNNNNNNN!” Luffy screamed with all his might. He then adjusted his Straw Hat over his eyes and then turned his attention back to his nakama, “Robin! We still haven’t heard you say it!”

Rivers of tears were streaming down Robin’s face as she stared up at the burning flag. 

“Say you want to live!!!” Luffy cried out.

“Robin…” Nami and Chopper whispered out to their nakama.

Robin’s eyes scanned through the Straw Hats’ unwavering gaze, even Nana gave her a confident grin back, and Robin inhaled a shaky breath. Her lips trembled and her fists clenched behind her. She lifted her head higher and she straightened her back. 

“I WANT TO LIVE!!!!!!!!!” Her finally-voiced wish echoed through the island, releasing the pain and burden she had shouldered by herself. “TAKE ME TO THE SEA WITH YOU!!!!” 

Nana heard the sounds of Zoro’s swords shifting and she glanced over at the Straw Hats. They were all smiling with determination and confidence back at their nakama. Zoro’s hands were already on his katanas. Sanji had just let a new cigarette and Usopp was leaning his Kabuto against his shoulder. Nana faced forward. She took her hammer from her back and held it out in front of her. The leather face man clearly thought she was one of the pirates, so why not go all in? 

“You guys….! I love you guys, dammit!” she heard Franky wail from behind the balcony wall. 

“God damn it, Franky!” Nana chastised, “You’re ruining the moment here!’

Luffy cracked his knuckles. “Let’s go!” 

The sounds of whirring gears vibrated up from beneath their feet. Nana looked down to see that the drawbridge was beginning to lower.

“Looks like they pulled through. Good timing,” Sanji said.

“Hey, Nami,” Nana murmured as she watched the drawbridge lower, “You owe me five pounds of high carbon steel, two pounds of aluminum, two boxes of gears, and a box of screws.”

“What?!” Nami gasped.

“For my waterboard. I’ll need to make a new one from scratch since mine is now in pieces.”

“Oh. You can just get the money from Zoro and use that to buy the materials you need,” Nami replied casually.

“O-O-Oy!!!” Zoro sputtered. 

“Thanks,” Nana replied.

“No problem,” Nami answered.

“Why do I have to-” Zoro started to argue. 

“Cause you’re the one who cut it,” both Nami and Nana retorted at the same time without even looking at him.

“Robin! We’re coming to save you!!!” Luffy’s call interrupted the swordsman before he could say anything back.

  
On the captain’s other side, the cook couldn’t help but let out a little smile. His angel and Nami-san seem to get along well...and it seems to bother the swordsman. It was a cherry on top of a sundae, in Sanji’s opinion.


	15. Entering the Tower of Justice

"What are those idiots doing down there?!" Nana snapped impatiently as she leaned far over the edge to get a better look at the drawbridge below.

The Straw Hats were waiting for the drawbridge to straighten out. It had started to unfold when a sudden trench mortar was fired into it. The explosion had caused the drawbridge to stop in its tracks.

"How dare they get in our way?! Those bastards!" Luffy shouted angrily and stomped his feet, "Who's doing this?!"

"Chief Spandam! Please evacuate from the Tower of Law!" someone cried out from the lower level of the Courthouse.

"Alright. Good job!" the leather faced man gasped in relief, "I'm going to head to the Gates of Justice before they come to this side."

Nana balked. " _You're_ the Chief of CP9?! I thought you were Lucci's servant or something."

"WHAT?!" Spandam screamed back in horror, "I am a very powerful man with a lot of influence!"

Nana crossed her arms and frowned disappointingly at Lucci. "You'd rather take orders from him than from Iceberg? Really?"

"DON'T IGNORE ME!" Spandan cried indignantly.

"As long as he is recognized by the government as the chief, than I will take orders from him," Lucci replied, "Whatever allows me to kill."

His bloodlust tone sent shivers down Nana's spine and she gripped her hammer tighter. This was not the man she knew. The group in front of her were strangers. Whatever ties she thought she had with them were no longer there.

Spandam jumped off the ledge of the balcony and grabbed Nico Robin. "Come, Nico Robin! We're going to the Gates of Justice. Someone grab Cutty Flam!"

"Robin!" Chopper shouted.

"Franky!" Nana gasped but it wasn't out of concern for him being taken away. Franky had pulled out a thick stack of old, browned papers. There was no doubt in Nana's mind what he had in his hands.

The cyborg smirked at Spandam as he dangled the Pluton blueprints in front of his captors' eyes. "When I say that this is the real deal, would you believe me?"

"Don't tell me…that's…" Spandam rasped as his eyes fell over the title page.

Franky lifted the edges of the pages and flipped through them quickly. "Lucci, Kaku...You guys can confirm the authenticity of this, right? Being shipwrights yourself?"

"I thought it was unlikely...but you hid it inside your body, huh?" Kaku breathed.

"Th-Th-Th-Those are the real ones?" Spandam demanded. He shakily reached out a hand towards it, "Hand them over to me! Hand them over to me now!"

"Nico Robin…" Franky said and waited for the black haired beauty to turn toward him. "While we were being brought to this place, I realized that you aren't the evil that is trying to misuse this weapon."

He then locked eyes with the Chief of CP9. "Oy, Spandam. What Tom-san and Iceberg risked their lives to protect is the wish of this weapon's architect...That is, if the ancient weapon fell into the hands of an idiot like you...If you started to use the ancient weapon to cause trouble, he would want another weapon to be built to stop it. It's true that if you use Nico Robin, you can revive the ancient weapon. Even if she doesn't want to help you, as long as there's a chance that she could be used, she's still to be considered dangerous."

He turned his attention to the Straw Hats. "But she's got friends who would be willing to risk their lives to protect her...and…" his eyes moved to Nana, "I've got someone who I believe can build something that could be equally effective as Pluton if it ever comes down to it."

Nana's eyes widened. "Franky…" she whispered.

"...So I'm willing to take a chance," Franky continued and glared at Spandam, "I can only think of one way that I could uphold the architect's wish in this situation." He flipped the stack of papers up so they were raised high in the air. He sucked in a deep breath, puffed out his cheeks, and blew out a heavy stream of fire.

"Ahhhhhh!" Spandam screamed as his dreams and hopes of a promotion quite literally went up in flames, "Damn it! It's burned black!"

Franky smirked. "Now there is no power that can fight back to the ancient weapon. If nothing is done and Nico Robin falls into your hands, it'll be hopeless...But if the Straw Hats win, there won't be anything left to you at all...I made a bet on their victory."

"How dare you mock me," Spandam seethed, "Seems like you want to die here too, huh?"

"Bro! BIG BRO!" Zambai's voice called from the belly of the Courthouse. The cheers of the Franky Family rang out as they finally spotted their leader through the opened windows.

"Bro! We came to rescue you!" one of the twins cheered from the tower.

"We came here with the Straw Hats and Nana!" they shouted, "Sodom and Gomorrah fought hard too!"

"Y-y-you idiots!" Franky gasped in surprise, "Who asked you guys to come...to come rescue me?!" Suddenly his eyes filled with tears and snot ran down his metal nose. "Ahhhhh," he bawled, "I'm not crying, you bastards!"

"SHUT THE HELL UP!" Nana and Luffy screamed at the same time.

"What are you, monsters?" Nami and Zoro both yelled at them for their insensitivity.

"Robin's waiting! Hurry and bring down the bridge!" Luffy demanded with a stamp of his sandaled foot.

"And now's not the time to be moved, you overly sensitive cyborg!" Nana shouted out to Franky, "You're in a very dangerous situation over there! You're no use to them now that you don't have the plans. Robin is the only one they need alive now."

"Oh yeah…" Zoro, Franky, and Nami both muttered to themselves.

Suddenly, Spandam rushed forward and shoved Franky off of the balcony. "Cutty Flam," he seethed, "How dare you burn the blueprints?!"

"AHHHHHH!" Franky shouted as he started to plummet down the waterfall.

"See? I told you so!" Nana snapped at him as the rest of the Franky Family cried out in horror.

"Ahhh, Nana-chan is so cute when she lectures," Sanji sighed in the background.

Nana was about to throw her hammer out to knock Franky back through a window when she was interrupted by voice coming from a transponder snail. "Hey pirates! Nana-chan!"

"Granny Kokoro?" Nami and Nana both said in surprise as Nami pulled out a transponder snail from her denim jacket.

"I heard everything," the old woman rasped, "What're you guys wasting time for?"

"Wasting time?" Nami asked, "But the bridge is only halfway down!"

"Halfway is good enough," Granny Kokoro stated.

There was a faint rumbling noise under Granny Kokoro's voice and Nana's eyes lit up when she heard more of it. _Don't tell me…_ "Just tell us when, Granny," Nana called to the snail.

"When?" Nami asked, "When what?!"

"Four seconds," Granny Kokoro said, "Jump with all your might towards the falls!"

"Is that Granny Kokoro?" Luffy asked.

Nana took a deep breath and placed her hammer on her back. _4_.

"I don't know...but she said to jump towards the falls," Nami replied.

Nana brought her goggles down over her eyes. _3._

_CHOOOOO! CHOOOOOO!_

"Is that the sea train?!" Luffy asked.

Nana clenched her fists to her side and squatted down. _2._

"Heh!" Luffy snorted with a grin.

Nana could hear the sound of Usopp gulping. "What's that smile for, Luffy-kun?" he asked nervously.

_1._

"LET'S GOOOOOO!" Nana cried as she jumped with her arms and legs out.

"Oh my god! Nana-chan!" Sanji shouted as he watched her free fall down the waterfall. He didn't even notice Luffy's arm shoot out from behind him and over to Chopper.

"Here we go!" Luffy exclaimed excitedly as he closelined the rest of his group forward and off the top of the rooftop.

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!" Nami screamed hysterically.

"I KNEW IT!" Zoro growled with annoyance.

"NOOOOOO!" Usopp sobbed.

"NANA-CHAN, I'M COMING!" Sanji cooed lovingly.

The Rocketman came into view as it railed through the Courthouse and jetted up the drawbridge. With the bridge being stuck on an upward incline, the train was ramped up and it sailed through the air. Nana fell flat on top of the shark face. The nose of the train was slightly bent so it created a hook like shape. She held onto the sides of it to keep herself from rolling off.

Luffy hit the chimney of the train and his arms flew behind him. The rest of the Strawhats were dropped towards the back of the train and the train smashed straight into Franky, who clung onto the bent nose of the painted shark face.

"Whhhhattt?! They're coming!" Spandam shouted overhead.

"We're going to crash!" Luffy screamed from the chimney.

"Hold on!" Nana warned and within seconds they crashed through the thick stone doors of the Tower of Law.

Thick clouds of smoke and debris blew everywhere as the train fell onto it's side and skidded through the lobby. Everyone tumbled off the train in opposite directions. Large chunks of rock and stone flew everywhere. Nana felt like she was being pummelled from all sides. She tried to roll out of the way but more rocks just kept falling on her until finally she was just buried under a pile of rubble.

Suddenly, she felt herself being dragged out of it by big, cold hands. "Owww, Nana-brat!" Franky shouted as he placed her next to Granny Kokoro, Chimney, Gonbe, and Pygmy, "Old Hag Kokoro. Little ones? Are you guys okay?! What'd you guys come here for and bringing such a dangerous thing like the Rocketman?"

Nana coughed and pushed herself up with her hands. "It's fine. Icy and I serviced it ourselves. It ran perfectly."

"I thought the brakes didn't work?!" Franky asked incredulously.

"I said it ran perfectly...I never said it stopped," Nana said with a grin as she lifted her goggles up from her eyes. There was a small crack on the lens of the left eye and Nana made a mental note to add that to the things she'll need to fix after this, "Besides, it saved you, didn't it?"

"That's true…" Franky said and then continued to shake Granny Kokoro and Chimney gently. "Oy! Old Hag Kokoro, don't die on me! Don't die!'

Nana dusted off her legs and winced at bruises that were already starting to form around her body. Her pants were torn all around her knees and lower legs. There was a huge rip on her right sleeve and she had a deep scratch across her cheek.

Kokoro let out a small chuckle and then sat up. Soon, Chimney, Gonbe, and Pygmy both sat up too. A small drop of blood fell out of each of their noses. "Looks like we got a nosebleed," Chimney and Granny Kokoro said in unison.

"Who the hell comes out of a train wreck with just a nosebleed?!" Franky demanded.

"Woof woof!" Pygmy barked as he ran over to Nana and licked her face.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his fur. "I can't speak for Granny and Chimney but I've put Pygmy through worst explosions than this," Nana said and grinned into Pygmy's fur.

There was a loud crashing sound and Nana lifted her head up in time to see Luffy burst through a large pile of broken rocks. "All right! We're here!" he shouted excitedly and then saw that the rest of his crew was still buried under the pile with only their hand sticking out, "Hey guys! Get up! This is nothing."

"Easy for you to say," Usopp whined from underneath the rocks.

"We're not rubber. Don't lump us with you," Zoro grunted.

"Us flesh and blood humans were forced to charge in like that," Sanji added.

Nana smirked and walked over to the pile. She grabbed Sanji's hand and pulled him out in one smooth arc. "So how do you explain me then?" she said with a wink.

"Ahhh, Nana-chan, you surely are an angel among us mere mortals," Sanji gushed as he clasped his hands together.

"Monster...you must be some sort of monster," Nami grumbled as Nana helped pull her out.

"Maybe...But if you've ever been shot out by a 42 pounder cannon with an overly sensitive trigger through a concrete warehouse, you might work up some sort of immunity to crashes too," Nana said. She was about to reach over to help Zoro when Luffy stopped her.

"Oy, Nana, they can get out of there just fine. You don't need to help them. They're okay," Luffy said as he picked his nose.

"You...think we're okay?" Zoro asked and even without seeing his face Nana knew he was scowling. She took a step back just as Zoro, Chopper, and Usopp both burst forth from the pile.

"NO WAY!" The Straw Hats yelled angrily at their captain.

"See? You guys have so much energy," Luffy said nonchalantly.

"You guys are all weirdos," Franky observed.

"You're one to talk. You're the biggest weirdo of them all," Nana snapped but then she marched over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She pressed her forehead against his metal chest and let out a sigh of relief. "But I'm glad you're not a dead weirdo...I'm sorry for wrecking your house, by the way."

"Owwww! Nana-brat! I'm sorry that my underlings hurt your stupid dog," Franky sobbed as he hugged her back.

"Look guys! There's stairs over there," Luffy interrupted and pointed behind Franky and Nana.

Nana released her hold on Franky and she smiled up at him. It was the biggest smile she had on all day and Sanji couldn't help but be slightly jealous it wasn't directed at him. "Now what do you say we help save Nico Robin so that the asshole government doesn't destroy the world?" she asked Franky.

"Ow! Super ready whenever you are," Franky grinned back.

"Wait! Chapapa!"

Everyone whirled around to look towards the sound. The large CP9 member with a zipper for a mouth was clinging onto the walls high above them in the corner of the hall.

"What the heck is that?" Luffy asked.

"Chapapapa," the green haired agent grunted, "Looks like we got invaded." His voice was both grating and childlike at the same time. "Even if you go to the room you saw earlier, Nico Robin isn't there anymore, since Lucci already took her to the Gates of Justice...Oh, and our chief too."

Nami narrowed her eyes at the man and then she smiled mischievously. "Oh, is that right?" she called up to him, "Thanks for giving us such valuable information."

"Chapapa," the agent wailed, "I spilled the beans..."

"What a funny guy…" Chopper murmured.

"Oh well," the CP9 member said, "They're headed there right now, but I won't tell you how to get there...and we, CP9, won't let you go there, either. We have an order to annihilate you guys. Unless you guys defeat us, you won't be able to set Nico Robin free."

"Yeah. You don't have to tell us that. We're gonna do it anyway," Luffy asserted.

"Chapapapa," the CP9 member scoffed, "What a high-spirited guy. But let me tell you one more thing." He reached into his pocket and held out a key, "This is the key to unlock the Sea Prism Stone handcuffs on Nico Robin!"

"Sea Prism Stone?" Franky and Nana asked at the same time.

"It's a stone that cancels out Devil Fruit powers," Nami informed, "It's as effective as when Devil Fruit power holders fall into the sea."

Nana's eyes flashed excitedly. "Where can I get that?"

Franky gave her a light punch on the head. "Nana-brat. Focus!"

Nana winced and rubbed her head, "Sorry," she mumbled.

"That's why Robin-chan isn't fighting back, despite how strong she actually is," Sanji said.

"Even if you guys can rescue Nico Robin by some chance, since the Sea Prism Stone is hard like diamonds, the handcuffs will be on her forever," the agent continued and laughed, "So go ahead and try to free your friend now. Chapapapapa!"

"Well then…" Nana said and lifted her gloved hand just as Luffy raised his fist.

"Give that to us!" They both shouted at the same time. The magnet in her hand started to power up as Luffy's punch flew through the air.

The agent disappeared just as Luffy's fist collided into the wall behind him. It wasn't enough time for Nana to get the key either. "Crap! Where the hell did he go?!" she yelled.

"Looks like he can use that technique too," Luffy scowled.

"Is that one of the Six Powers Iceberg told me about?" Nana asked out loud.

"Ah, Nana-chan," Sanji answered without taking his eyes off of the government agent, who landed near the entrance to the room, "They can also make their bodies as hard as iron, dodge incoming attacks like paper, cut things with kicks, and can jab at you with the speed and force of a bullet."

"That's only five things...what's the six?" Nana asked.

"That," Sanji said and pointed at the government agent that was kicking into the air as if he was a fish bobbing up the sea.

"Don't be so hasty," the CP9 member sang, "This might not be the right key."

"WHAT?!" the Straw Hats cried.

"It might be for different handcuffs. Chapapa papa! There are five CP9 members, including me, in this tower. Each one has a key and is waiting for you," he continued to sing as he danced in the air.

"Then until we defeat you all and get the keys, and try them on Robin's handcuffs, we won't know which one is the right key?" Zoro exclaimed.

"How stupid," Sanji scoffed, "Are they trying to buy time? While we're busy getting the key, you guys are trying to take Robin-chan to the Gates of Justice, aren't you?"

"That's right!" the government agent cheered and then gasped, "I spilled the beans again…"

"Catching up with Robin quickly should be our priority," Nami said solemnly, "We'll first get Robin back and then worry about the key. Let's ignore the weirdo and hurry!"

"Chapapa! You're smart. But if you do that, I'll ditch this key into the sea! Chapapa!" the agent taunted and he held up the key to show that he was serious.

"What?!" The Straw Hats gasped again.

Nana, who had remained silent all this time put her hands out in front of her, "Whoa, whoa! Wait just a second," she called up to the agent, "Let's not be so hasty. I mean, no one has left to go find Robin yet, right? So there's no need for you to throw it into the sea. Isn't there a way we can negotiate a deal?"

Zoro felt his swords start to rattle and move on its own. It was slight but enough for him to straighten his back and cast a wary glance around the room. His three earrings started to sway a little to. Beside him, Nami felt the same rattling with her weapon and she tensed up. Franky's whole body was trembling a little but he wasn't caught off guard at all. Instead he was grinning at the back of Nana's head.

"Chapapa papa, you're very naive if you think that talking is still an option to get you and your friends safely off this island," the government agent laughed, "Especially since we have been ordered to-"

"Catch!" Nana called.

 _Shing!_ Suddenly, the key flew out of the CP9's hand and landed right into the palm of her metal glove. Nana smirked and closed her fist around the key while turning the base of her glove with her other hand. The tingling in Franky, Nami's clima tact, and the metal around Zoro immediately stopped as well. Nana held up the key for all to see. "Yes, but talking is an option when it comes to stalling," she gloated.

"WHAT?!" the CP9 member screamed, "Chapapa! How did you-?"

Nana winked at the government agent before throwing the key back to Franky, who caught it smoothly with his hand. "You better go warn your friends that we have a way to get the keys without fighting," she taunted.

"CHAPAPAPA! You're right!" the CP9 gasped and then dashed off.

"Ahhh! Wait you jerk!" Luffy shouted at him and started to run after the agent.

"No, you wait!" Zoro growled and grabbed the first part of Luffy he could get his hands on, which happened to be the left side of his mouth. It stretched back as Luffy sprinted forward and then he started to run in place as Usopp caught him by the waist and held him down. "Stop! Just a little bit longer! Just wait until we decide what each of us will do."

"Ahhh! Let me go!" Luffy screamed as best he could with only control of half his mouth.

"How did you even get the key?" Nami asked Nana.

"Magnet. It just took awhile to power up and find the right frequency for the metal key," Nana replied, "So that's why I had to stall."

"Wahhhh! Nana-chan is full of surprises," Sanji exclaimed and Nana flashed him a grin. Sanji's heart soared at the positive reaction he got from his angel. Then he looked over at Franky with sudden seriousness. "So...is Lucci the pigeon guy?"

"Yah," Franky said with a nod to Sanji.

"If he's with Robin-chan, we should let at least Luffy go on ahead," Sanji said and he turned to the captain, "Luffy, at any rate, you just beat up the pigeon guy. There are seven of us, excluding Luffy. That guy just said there were five CP9 members here and even though there's only four keys, that green haired idiot-"

"Who are you calling an idiot?" Zoro snapped.

"NOT YOU!" Nami, Sanji, and Nana yelled at the same time.

Sanji cleared his throat. "As I was saying...that green haired _government_ idiot, could still come after us and try to get his key back so we will need to be on guard. We'll get the keys and then go after Luffy."

"If Robin-kun goes through the gates, it'll all be over," Usopp grunted as he kept trying to hold Luffy down, "It's all a race against time!"

"Then let him go," Nana replied and both Zoro and Usopp released their grip on Luffy. He shot forward as if he was in one of Usopp's own slingshot.

"Everyone! Take them down and find the key even if it costs you your life," Zoro ordered.

"Ah," the Straw Hats shouted as they dashed off, with Nana, Franky, and Pygmy among them.

"Good luck!" Granny Kokoro, Chimney, and Gonbe cheered behind them.

"Nana-chan, do you want to stay with me? I'll keep you safe and-" Sanji started to say.

"Can you please focus?" Nami yelled at him.

"I don't need anyone to save me," Nana stated at the same time.

"You know, you can come with me and protect...er I mean, watch how a hero works," Usopp stated with false bravado.

"Ow, Nana-brat," Franky interrupted, "I'm running out of cola. Do you…?"

Nana eyed Franky's hair and noticed that it was starting to droop. She reached into her bag as she ran and then wrinkled her nose. She pulled out the broken cola bottle and showed it to Franky. "It got broken from the crash. Everything in my bag is sticky now…"

"Ah! Zoro vanished!" Chopper cried, "Where did he go?! The stairs only go up or down!"

"Ugh...I'm surrounded by idiots," Nami groaned.

Nana couldn't help but giggle at this exchange. Sanji glanced over at her and exhaled a small puff of smoke from his cigarette. To the rest of his nakama, it looked like just him smoking as usual, but in reality he had released a breath of relief. The angel's eyes were shining again.


	16. Nana vs. Khalifa

Everyone decided to divide and conquer so Nana and Pygmy went down a hallway by themselves in search for a key. Pygmy sniffed the air as he ran ahead of Nana. Without her waterboard, Nana was significantly slower. She skidded to a halt when she realized that Pygmy had stopped to sniff at a door.

Nana grabbed her hammer and then kicked the door down. “Okay, you bastards. Hand over the key and I’ll-”

Nana stopped short when she realized it was empty. “Why did you stop if no one was here?!” she yelled at Pygmy but then her eyes adjusted to the dimly lit room and she let out a small gasp.

She was in a small armory with broken pieces of metal, badly damaged armor, and light weapons hanging from the wall. “Good dog...very good dog,” she murmured giving Pygmy a haphazard pet on the head as she did a quick inventory in her head.

She grabbed the top half off of a suit of armor and flung it on the stone ground. She took off her metal glove and put it back in her bag. She pulled out a chisel from it and then she put on her goggles. She could only see out of one side of the goggles but that was enough for her. She fired up her hammer and grinned up at Pygmy, “Let’s get to work.”

_ Clang! Clang! Clang!  _

Nana knew the clock was ticking and she only had half the tools she actually needed so she tried not to be so hard on herself when she finally donned her finished product. She loosened her corset and pulled her white shirt over her head.  _ It’s not perfect but it’ll do.  _

Nana sighed and shook her head as she pulled her new makeshift armor over her head. She fitted her arms through the arm holes and then pulled her shirt back over it.  The building started to shake around her and she looked over at Pygmy. “Look’s like it’s time to go,” she said as she retied her corset.

“Woof woof!” Pygmy barked back and they ran out the door.

She could hear someone talking in the distance and they bolted in that direction. She rounded a corner and stopped short. Ahead of her was an open hall with a staircase leading to the floor above. She could see upper floor clearly but her focus was on what was happening directly in front of her. Nami was being held up in the air by the pink hair of the large kabuki CP9 agent. His hair had grabbed onto Nami like octopus tentacles and she could not escape her binds.

The CP9 agent had a metal staff raised behind his head with the bottom of it aimed right at Nami’s back. “Yayoi!” he called to Nami, “Now, die...Now...Now.”

Nana silently grabbed her hammer and she pressed a button. She looked at Pygmy and took a deep breath.

“No!” Nami screamed.

Nana rushed forward and she heard hoof beats to the side but she didn’t stop running.

“Song of Spring Feeling!” the CP9 member called just as Nana jumped up.

“Nana Special!!!”

“Hoofprint!” Chopper shouted as he leapt into the air, appearing to the right of Nana, and changed into his arm point, “Roseo!”

“Buzz Cut!”  Nana cried.

The saw rotating around Nana’s hammer chopped off the locks that was holding Nami while Chopper’s enlarged hooves smashed into the side of the government agent’s face, leaving an imprint resembling a sakura petal. The CP9 member was sent flying backward as Nami fell onto the floor.

“Nami!” Nana shouted as she ran towards the girl.

“Are you okay?” Chopper asked and dashed over to join them.

“Chopper...Nana,” Nami panted as she got up to her feet, “Thanks...You guys saved me.”

“What’s with that guy? Is he a power holder?” Chopper asked, looking back at the unconscious government agent.

“I don’t know...His hair moves like an octopus, so I can’t do anything,” Nami said, wincing a little at her bruises, “More importantly, now is our chance. We need to get out of here.”

Chopper gasped, “Why? Unless we defeat him, we can’t get the key.”

Nami held out a key with the #3 on it. “You mean this, right?”

“How did you-” Nana started to ask and Nami winked at her.

“You’re not the only person who can get a key without fighting. I’m a professional cat burglar, you know?”

Nana laughed as they ran away from the government agent. “So now we have the #1 and #3 key.”

Chopper shook his head defeatedly. “Those are the wrong keys!”

“What?” Nana asked, “You already know what key Robin needs?”

“No. Zoro and Usopp...they need the #2 key to-”

“Watch out!” Nana yelled as she saw something coming at them from overhead. She pushed Nami and Chopper out to the side and Pygmy leapt out of the way. Nana held out her arms and she caught whatever the falling object was. “Gotcha!” 

  
“What was that?” Nami replied as she scrambled to her feet.

Nana’s eyes widened at what was in her arms. It looked like a blow up doll with a smooth shiny surface and curves all around. It had blonde hair that covered one of its eyes and also distinctly curled eyebrows. “Is this...a Sanji doll?”  

“Saved...by an angel,” the doll wheezed back.

“Holy shit! It’s Sanji!” Nana hurriedly knelt to the floor and lowered him to the ground. His shirt felt smooth and slippery. He was bleeding all over and his body had distorted to the point that he resembled more of a blow up doll than a human being. She touched his face and found that it was smooth and slippery as well, like it was coated in soap.

“Why does he look like that?!” Chopper gasped, rushing over to take a closer look.

“Sanji! Hey! Why is your body like this?!” Chopper cried.

“S-S-Sorry...I lost...I couldn’t get the key,” Sanji choked out.

“Hold on a sec, Sanji. I’ll give you first aid,” Chopper exclaimed.

“Woof! Woof!” Pygmy barked and he started to growl at someone overhead.

Nana’s head shot upwards and her teeth clenched when her eyes locked up at Sanji’s attacker. “Kalifa…” she snarled.

Nami’s eyes widened when her eye’s followed Nana’s and she got to her feet. “Sanji-kun...were you really not able to defeat her?” she asked calmly, “Did you really fight seriously? It was that woman who you fought, wasn’t it? You’re always soft with women.”

Nana raised an eyebrow and peered back down at Sanji. “Is that true?” 

“I’m sorry about the key,” Sanji rasped.

“That’s not the point!” Nami shouted angrily, “I’m saying that because of your stupid chivalry, you’re gonna lose your life! You’re going to stick to it even after getting hurt like this?! What’re you going to do if you die?!”

“It’s not like...I want to die,” Sanji choked out, “But I grew up having the idea that I shouldn’t kick women beat into me. So...even if it costs me my life...I won’t kick a woman.”

“What a stubborn idiot you are,” Nana scoffed but there was a gentleness to her voice. She slowly rested Sanji’s head onto the floor and got up to her feet. 

“Pygmy, stay with him,” she ordered and the dog whined a little but sat down next to Sanji. 

She glared up at Kalifa, “Nami...Chopper...Leave that bitch to me. I have a score to settle with her.” She then flashed her eyes at Sanji and she took in a deep breath, “Make that two.”

“How rude,” Kalifa said with a smirk as she leaned over the railing.

“I’m not going to go easy on you just because we have history...a fake history...And I certainly don’t follow any code of honor,” Nana warned as she climbed up the steps.

“Nana…” Nami asked sternly, “Do you know what she did to Sanji?” 

Nana paused in her steps and shook her head. She took one long hard look at the blonde, “I never even knew Kalifa could fight.”

“Can you beat her?” Nami asked.

Nana nodded, “Leave it to me but don’t worry. I know what’s at stake right now. I’ll get you that key before I do anything else.”

“If it’s #2, you need to give it to me immediately!” Chopper called after her, “Usopp and Zoro accidentally got cuffed together by the #2 handcuff.”

“WHAT?!” Nana and Nami exclaimed.

“Fools...” Sanji scoffed.

“You’re not one to talk!” Nana and Nami yelled at the blonde.

The sound of a door shutting jerked Nana’s head up and she saw that Kalifa had gone into the room behind her. She glanced back at Nami, Chopper, Pygmy and then finally at Sanji. She took a deep breath and grabbed her hammer before dashing up the rest of the way.

Back on the floor, Nami studied Sanji’s condition. “If running away is also against your chivalry, at least ditch that chivalry! You can’t stay and not do anything. You’re chivalry is not worth dying in vain over,” Nami lectured then her expression softened. “But...I think a little more of your chivalry than I did before and...I think someone else has taken a notice too.”

“What? Did Nami-swan just say that she loves me or that Nana-chan does?” Sanji asked Chopper.

“Neither, you idiot!” Chopper snapped.

* * *

 

Nana didn’t even bother using the door knob. She smashed through the door with her hammer and leaned the hammer across her shoulders. “Knock, knock,” she commented dryly and stepped into the room. 

Kalifa was undressing behind a screen and Nana could see her silhouette through it. There was the sound of running bath water and steam was filling up the room. Nana raised an eyebrow, “I never thought of you as a fighter but I never thought of you as someone who bathed in the face of danger, either.”

“Danger?” Kalifa asked calmly as she stepped behind the screen and into the rather large bathtub, “I don’t see any danger...at least not towards me, at least.”

Nana gritted her teeth and brought her hammer to the front. “Say that again...I….dare....”

To Nana’s surprise her arms started to shake and she couldn’t raise her hammer up. It felt like it was getting heavier by the second.  _ No… _ , Nana thought with widened eyes as she felt her legs shake,  _ It’s not getting heavier. I’m getting weaker. _

Her knees gave out and she fell to the floor and her hammer rolled to the side. She braced her hands in front of her to stop herself from falling face first. Her hands hit the floor, which was covered in bubbles. The floor itself was slippery and the same texture as Sanji. Then, suddenly the last shred of strength in her arms vanished and she fell down hard. 

“What…?” she gasped.

“I thought you said you weren’t going to go easy on me,” Kalifa laughed from the distance, “Or is the child of water 7 all bark but no bite?”

Kalifa’s laugh stopped short and she glanced over at Nana. She raised an eyebrow and pressed a finger to her lips. “Or should I say a child of South Blue…?”

Nana’s head shot up. “What did you say?”

Kalifa scooped up some of the bubbles with her hand and casually blew them off. She was buying her time and Nana knew it. “You think we were just watching over Iceberg-san for signs of Pluton? We were also watching you, Mizu Nana. It took some time to find out more about your...little incident...but we were able to piece it together.” Her smile turned vicious. “We are CP9, after all.”

“You’re making this up,” Nana seethed. It was getting hard for her to breathe and even her eyes felt heavy, “You’re trying to distract me.” 

“Yes, I am trying to distract you but I’m not making this up,” Kalifa said as she stood up in the tub. The bubbles started to fall off her body in clumps. “Would you like me to tell you your real name?”

Nana clenched her fist and watched as Kalifa got behind her screen to dress. “Shut up! I know my name! It’s Mizu Nana!” she barked back.   _ Don’t get caught up in her words,  _ Nana thought,  _ You need to think and fight, Nana! _

She mustered all her strength and tried to get up to her feet but all she could manage was to roll to the side. She was lying face down again but at least now she was on a dry patch on the floor. She propped her chin up so she could see where her hammer was. She had to leave her hammer behind as her arms were still too weak to pull it with her. 

She gritted her teeth and slipped her hand quietly into her messenger bag. She fished around in her bag until she could feel the familiar indentations and shape of her iron glove.  _ Come on...Come on _ , she thought as she tried to put it on the gloves. Her fingers finally slipped in and she jerked her hand out of her bag. She put it out in front of her towards her hammer.

_ Crunch! _

“Gahhhh,” Nana grunted as Kalifa appeared in front of her. She stepped hard onto her hand with her black stiletto. It wasn’t enough to break through Nana’s glove but it still hurt like hell.

“Ooh, what’s this?” Kalifa cooed as she knelt down to look at Nana, with her heel still firmly in place, “Is this a new ‘Nana Special’? What does this one do? Sleeping gas? Loud noises? Or what other useless, non-lethal concoction have you come up with?”

“It’s…” Nana seethed and she dug her fingers down on the floor. The energy in her arms and legs were coming back fast now, “It’s a bitch hitter.” 

“How rude. I should-”

Nana lifted her hand up and flung Kalifa off her balance. “Catch,” Nana called as her hammer flew into the palm of her hand. Nana leapt to her feet and put both hands on her hammer. She held it over her head. “Eat this, bitch!”

_ THWACK! _

She swung the hammer down hard on Kalifa but then Nana gasped. Underneath the hammer wasn’t Kalifa but a large bar of soap with the letters CP9 indented at the top. Nana took a step back and set her hammer down on the floor. “What the…” 

It started to bubble at the top and Nana quickly created some distance between her and the soap. The bubbles started to descend, taking away the hard exterior and revealing a smiling Kalifa underneath. 

“Well...what a dirty mouth you have. It must need some cleaning,” Kalifa said.

“I can’t believe...that withstood my hammer,” Nana gasped.

“You have no chance against me unless you solve the mystery behind my Devil Fruit power,” Kalifa replied confidently, “I wonder if you can do it.”

Nana’s eyebrows flew to the top of her head. “You literally turned into a giant bar of soap in front of me and you think I can’t figure out that you’re some type of soap person who can control bubbles or something? How stupid do you think I am?!”

“B-B-But…” Kalifa suddenly lost her composure and she took a step back away from Nana, “But even if, for example, you figured out what kind of powers they are, it’s not like you have a chance to win. How insolent!”

“Tch,” Nana scoffed, “So it’s not that you had the misconception of me being stupid. You just think that you’re smart. Huh?”

“I’m a Bubble Bubble person,” Kalifa said haughtily as she ran her hands over her body, “My whole body lathers. I’m all about cleanliness.”

“No wonder Icy hired you as a secretary,” Nana muttered to herself, “Next time, I’m going to pre-screen the candidates for him, that dirty bastard.”

“It’s not just being clean…” Kalifa continued, “I can also manipulate all bubbles coming from my body.” She raised her arm into the air, “Bubble Master!’

Suddenly the bubbles in the bathtub came flooding out and towards Kalifa. It wrapped around her arm and then her entire body. “Soap sheep!”

Kalifa was covered in a huge mound of bubbles. Her arms popped out from the sides and with her black sleeves and black gloves, they looked like horns.

Nana’s jaw dropped at the sight of Kalifa. “You look fucking ridiculous! Are you going to take this fight seriously or not?!”

“Don’t get fooled by my appearance,” Kalifa said with a smirk, “Sheep Cloud! Relaxing Bubbles!” Her sheep costume started to break out into mini blobs of bubbles and they came flying towards Nana.

_ Shit!  _ Nana said as she dodged the bubbles. She tried to find an opening but there was none. The bubbles started to pick up pace and she knew if she didn’t do something she’d be hit again.  She quickly stuck her hand back in her bag and pulled out her last steam canister. She twisted the end of it and a blast of steam burst out of it, clearing away the incoming bubbles.

“Shave!” Kalifa called and suddenly she was behind Nana. “Tempest Kick!”

Her high powered kick launched Nana forward and she slammed into the wall. Blood spurted out of Nana’s mouth as she sank onto her knees. The empty steam canister rolled away from her hand and she gasped from the pain. She got up to her feet and faced Kalifa, who raised her arms.  _ Shit. She’s fast. I won’t be able to get a hit on her with her speed. _

Kalifa seemed to read Nana’s mind and she gloated. “Bubble Master!” The bubbles on the floor started to float up from the floor and compile in front of her. “Relaxing Bubbles!”

“Damn it,” Nana cursed as the bubbles shot towards her. Her eyes caught the bathtub on the side, still half filled with water, and her fists tightened by her side. _ I hope this works _ .

She let go of her hammer and dove head first into the bathtub. She submerged herself under the shallow water while the bubbles dissipated as it hit the water. Her whole body tensed up and it screamed for her to get out. She shut her eyes as horrible fractured memories of floating among a shipwreck on a cold, dark night jabbed through her mind. The water around her was warm but she could feel the goosebumps form on her skin and her lungs seemed to contract.  _ Calm down, Nana. It’s only water. It’s only- _

A hand shot into the water and dragged Nana out. She looked up to see the annoyed face of Kalifa as she gasped for air. “Getting yourself wet does give you temporary relief from my bubbles...but don’t forget, I’m a highly trained assassin for a special government group.”

She lifted Nana up by the hair and pointed a finger in front of Nana’s face. “Finger Pistol!” she cried and jabbed it straight for Nana’s heart.

“AHHHHHHHH!” Kalifa cried out as she jerked her finger back. Her nail was broken and her finger had started to swell. She dropped Nana in the process and Nana fell onto the floor.

Nana rolled to the side when she landed and got up to her feet. There was a small hole in her shirt where Kalifa’s finger had pierced and the metal breastplate she wore under her clothes gleamed in the light. “I heard,” Nana said, matching her taunt to the same tone Kalifa had, “That you guys could make your bodies as hard as iron...So I figured I might as well do the same.”

Nana tugged at the buttons at the top of her shirt to reveal more of the iron armor she had underneath. It scooped at the neck and covered her shoulders as well. “If you were a craftsman you’d know that this was poorly done but you’re not...and you wouldn’t know what the weak points are,” Nana taunted, “Lucci and Kaku maybe could figure it out but certainly not a dumb bitch like you.”

“Shave!” Kalifa seethed and she appeared right in front of Nana again. She grabbed Nana by the neck and raised her up. “All I have to do is go for your neck and pretty little face, right? That wasn’t too hard to figure out.” 

She pointed the finger of her other hand towards Nana and she flung it forward, aiming right for Nana’s eye, “Finger Pistol!”

Nana flung up her arm to block the attack. “Ahhhhh,” Nana cried as Kalifa’s finger punctured her arm, just below the wrist. She was pushing Kalifa back by the chest with her gloved hand, but the pain was too much and she slowly withdrew it. Blood started to bleed in with her water soaked sleeve and it started to turn a dark shade of pink. Nana gritted her teeth then she smiled through her pain at Kalifa, “Got it.”

“What?!” Kalifa exclaimed.

“Catch,” Nana breathed as the key flew out of Kalifa’s cleavage and right into the palm of her metal glove that was hovering right above her breast. Nana lifted her legs and kicked Kalifa firmly in the stomach.

“Ooof!” Kalifa grunted as she released Nana and tumbled backwards.

Nana rolled up her sleeve as blood and water continued to drip down her arm, past her wrist, and to the floor. She got up to her feet, tucked the key into her pocket, and made her way back to her hammer. She breathed heavily through the pain and she smirked at Kalifa, lifting her hammer with her right hand. “I might not be able to move at your speed but it doesn’t matter once I force you to stay in one place.”

“Insolent! So insolent!” Kalifa exclaimed as she got to her feet, “You think you can beat a Six Power master?”

She sneered at Nana. “You know, when I first heard about your circumstances I thought that maybe there was something special about you but I was so disappointed to find out that it  _ was  _ just an honest mistake by the Navy. You came from an ordinary family that dealt with mechanics in the South Blue. You are nobody, Gridley D. Sylvia.”

“Shut the fuck up! That is not my name!” Nana roared as she charged at Kalifa.

“Tempest Kick!” Kalifa gave several sweeping kicks and their high pressured slices were sent sailing towards Nana, who dodged and rolled out of the way. 

“How many times do I have to tell you,” Nana growled, “I’m Mizu Nana...”

She charged at Kalifa swinging her hammer.  Kalifa quickly side stepped it. “...the child of Water 7…”

Nana swung again this time from the other side at Kalifa but still had no luck. “...the adopted daughter of Mayor Iceberg…”

Nana raised her hammer and clutched it with both hands as she launched in the air. “...the top mechanic for the Galley-La Company…”

“Shave!” Kalifa cried and got out of the way as Nana smashed her hammer to the floor. 

Nana threw her hammer out towards Kalifa, who dodged it as she made her way towards Nana. 

“Finger pistol!” Kalifa cried and she thrusted her finger right at Nana’s face again.

Her finger went through Nana’s left arm again, just below her first wound but this time Nana did not cry out or even react to the pain. “...And I’m also very pissed off,” Nana finished. 

She grabbed Kalifa by the wrist and held her in place. “Hammerang…” she whispered.

Kalifa’s eyes widened.  _ THWACK! _

Her hammer came sailing back towards them and Kalifa put up a bar of soap in time for it to stop the hammer but it didn’t work this time. Nana had triggered the flame thrower inside the hammer and the hammer head was now white hot.  It melted through the soap and hit Kalifa squarely in the back.

“AHHHHHHH!” Kalifa cried out in pain as it seared through her dress and skin.

“As the first employee and silent partner of the Galley-La company, it is my duty to let you know…” Nana said as she released Kalifa from her hold. The woman crumpled to the floor with Nana’s hammer rolling to the side. Nana picked it up by the handle before it could burn a hole through the floor. She stopped the flame thrower and looked down at the defeated government agent. “...you’re fired.” 

  
  



	17. Showing Off

“Nami, Chopper! Hurry up and get Sanji up here!” Nana shouted as she ran down the steps. She was surprised to see that Sanji was left sitting upright next to the stairwell with Pygmy sitting dutifully next to him.  “Where did they go? I got the key.”

“Woof woof!” Pygmy barked.

Nana draped Sanji over Pygmy’s back. “Never mind, we need to get Sanji into the bathtub to wash all this junk off.”

“Nana...chan,” Sanji whispered hoarsely.

“Shut up and let me save you,” she said as she and Pygmy raced up the steps. 

She had left the water running when she went to go grab Sanji and by the time she came up, it was halfway filled. Nana lifted Sanji up by the arms and threw him into the water.

_ Splash! _

“AHHHHHHHH! HOTTTTT!!!” Sanji cried as he jumped out of the water in his normal form, except now his skin was bright lobster red.

“Oh...I guess I forgot to turn on the cold tap…” Nana said sheepishly.

Sanji whipped around to look at Nana and his eyes immediately went to the wounds on her arm. He rushed to her side and lifted her arm so he could see the wound more closely. “Nana-chan,” he said worriedly, “...you’re bleeding.”

Nana’s blood rushed to her face and her breath caught in her chest at the tender way he was looking at her. She hurriedly jerked her arm from his hold. “I didn’t do it for you so don’t look at me like that,” she snapped, “I did it because the bitch deserved it.”

“Gridley...D…Sylvia,” Kalifa wheezed with anger.

Nana went over and knocked her unconscious with the handle of her hammer. “Enough of that already,” she hissed.

“Sylvia?” Sanji asked with a raised eyebrow. 

“Apparently, that was my name before I became Mizu Nana...Apparently, I’m from the South Blue,” Nana said slowly, “The CP9 did some researching on me during their 5 years at Water 7.”

“What?! Nana-chan!” Sanji gasped excitedly, “Does that mean your family-”

“The Gridley family is dead,” Nana interrupted and waved a hand in Kalifa’s direction, “She already said as much...And there’s nothing left for me back on the South Blue.”

“How do you know that, Nana-chan?” Sanji asked.

Nana took off her aviator helmet and flung it at Sanji. He caught it with one hand and looked at her curiously. Her face turned grim. “Look inside.”

The cook flipped the hat upside down and saw a faded inscription sewed along the edge.  _ New World, New Beginnings. _

“I’ve known a long time ago,” Nana said softly, “That I couldn’t go back to wherever I came from and moving forward was the only option.” She then raised her chin and looked up at the ceiling. “Gridley D. Sylvia…”

She scoffed. “The name feels empty to me. It’s not raising any memories or feelings. It’s...just a name.” She turned to Sanji. “I’d rather you keep this to yourself, if you don’t mind. There’s no point in bothering anyone with this information. It changes nothing.”

Sanji let a cigarette and then walked over to Nana. He patted her helmet back on her head and he kept his hand there. “Vinsmoke Sanji,” he said with a long exhale of his smoke, “From the North Blue.”

Nana tilted her head. “What?”

Sanji smiled softly. “Now we both have a name to keep to ourselves.”

Nana couldn’t help but return the smile. “You don’t look like a Vinsmoke.”

“And you don’t look like a Gridley.” 

_ Purupurupurpuru. _

Suddenly, the sound of a transponder snail emitted from Kalifa’s unconscious body. Nana gently pushed Sanji’s hand off of her and she knelt down beside Kalifa. She ripped Kalifa’s dress in half to find the source of the ringing, accidentally exposing Kalifa’s torso.

Sanji immediately covered his nose with his hands as blood spurted out.  _ Nice one, Nana-chan, _ he thought as he turned his face away from Nana so that she wouldn’t see his reaction.

Nana glanced over at Sanji and was slightly impressed that he had turned his back to give Kalifa some privacy.  _ He really is very chivalrous,  _ she thought admirably.

_ Purupurupuru. Catcha. _

In her haste to find the snail, Nana accidentally knocked it over and the receiver connected. 

“Oy! Oy!” came Spandam’s voices, “Of all things, I pressed the button on the golden transponder snail.”

Nana’s eyes widened. “What?” she gasped.

Suddenly, Sanji was kneeling beside her and he covered her mouth with his hand, pushing her against his chest. She looked up at him and he shook his head at her. She glared up at him and put her hand over his and pushed it down, away from her mouth.

“Of all things…I requested a Buster Call!” Spandam cried, making Nana freeze.

“How foolish! Cancel it right away!” Robin’s voice shouted through the transponder snail.

Nana didn’t realize she was still holding onto Sanji’s hand until she felt him squeeze it instinctively at the sound of Robin’s voice. She realized she should probably let go but then part of her didn’t want to.

“What?! Cancel it?!” Spandam exclaimed, interrupting Nana from making a decision, “Oy! Oy! Who do you think you’re talking to?” He then let out a short bark of laughter, “Buster Call is great, isn’t it? What’s wrong with it?! That’s right..There’s no problem. I’m the chief of Cipher Pol No. 9. In order to hand over you pirates, I requested a Buster Call. I see no problem in that. No matter what happens here, we’ll be able to annihilate the pirates for sure in the end.”

“You fool!” Robin cried back, “I told you, didn’t I?! That won’t be the end of it! There’s no humanity in that attack! The attack will completely burn Enies Lobby to the ground. The building, the people...the entire island. You weren’t there twenty years ago in Ohara so you don’t know the horrors of it.”

“That’s fine. Even if it cause the death of thousands of soldiers, we can say that it’s unavoidable sacrifice for our glorious future...Above all things, my promotion is at stake too,” Spandam said casually.

“What do you think of people’s lives?!” Robin demanded.

“Don’t forget that CP9 is the Government’s secret organization,” Spandam sneered, “If we need 100 deaths in order to save 1,000 lives, we’ll kill those 100 without hesitation on the spot. Mercilessness is also a necessity for true justice.”

He cackled, “Besides, those incompetent soldiers who couldn’t stop the invading pirates are better off dead, don’t you think?”

Robin gasped, “That portable snail you’re holding...is connected.”

“WHAT? OH SHIT!!!” Spandam shouted, “Did everyone just hear what I said?”

There was a silence in the air and Nana looked over at Sanji. He was scowling and his eyes were glaring angrily at the snail. She could feel his heart pounding against her back. Her heart was beating just as hard but it wasn’t out of anger. The faint trace of worry in his eyes, the way his jawline was emphasised by how much he was clenching his teeth, and the firm yet protective way he was holding her was making it difficult for Nana to concentrate on the actual call. 

Sanji suddenly shot out his hand and brought the receiver to his lips. “Oy, Robin-chan…” Sanji interrupted coolly through the intercom.

“What?! Who is this?!” Spandam shouted, “How dare you-”

“I’m not talking to you, you idiot. I’m talking to Robin-chan,” Sanji said.

“Cook-san?” Robin gasped from the snail.

“How did you get access to this line?!” Spandam interrupted.

“Let’s just say we’ve taken over your secretary’s duties,” Sanji said, “Anyways, Robin-chan, just wanted to let you know that we heard everything that leather masked idiot said. He accidentally called for a Buster Call and not man enough to own up to his mistakes. He’s willing to sacrifice everyone on this island, including his own men, just for his own pride and glory.”

“Everyone needs to leave this island!” Robin shouted.

“Robin-chan, we’ve been through danger before and we’ll probably go through more in the future,” Sanji assured her, “So we’re not going anywhere except to you...The marines, though...if they had half a brain, should probably leave this island before their idiot leader kills them.”

“Cook-san! The Buster Call-”

“ENOUGH!” Spandam exclaimed and there was a sound something loud crashing onto the floor.

_ Catcha _ . 

Sanji exhaled an angered breath. “If he hurts Robin-chan in anyway…”

Nana was struck by the sincerity in his voice. She studied his face and couldn’t help but notice how his forehead was creased with worry as he glared at the snail. Without thinking she reached out and brushed a thumb across it to smoothe it out. He looked at her in surprise and she quickly jerked her hand back.   
  


“I-I-I’m sorry,” Nana stammered as she quickly got up to her feet and hurried to the door, “I don’t know what I was doing that for.” She took the key out of her pocket and held it up for Sanji to see with her back turned to him. “I need to go find Zoro and Usopp. They’ll need this.”

“Nana-chan-” Sanji called after her but then they were interrupted by the sounds of the wall cracking. 

_ Boom! _

A monster burst through the outer walls and roared at Sanji and Nana. Sanji rushed over in front of Nana and put his arm out to keep her behind him. “Ch-Ch-Chopper?!” Sanji exclaimed.

Nana’s eyes widened. “CHOPPER?!” she stared at the beast. He was wearing Chopper’s hat but that was the extent of their similarities. Just his head and shoulder took up the entire wall and his roar was deeper than a hundred animals, “Is this part of his Zoan power?”

“Stay back!” Sanji warned just as Chopper slammed his giant hooves down onto the floor. Sanji rapidly dashed away and towards Nana. 

“Watch out!”  Nami came running into the room with her weapon in hand, “Chopper! Please wake up! Get a hold of yourself!” 

“Nami-san!” Sanji demanded, “What’s going on?!” 

“Woof! Woof!” Pygmy barked worriedly up at his animal friend.

“ROOOOOOAAAAR!” Chopper cried and reached into the room. He grabbed the bathtub and yanked it straight off of the floor.

“Duck!” Sanji shouted as he pulled Nami and Nana to the floor. The bathtub was thrown over their heads. It broke the wall behind them and fell towards the floor below.

Chopper climbed fully into the room and he raised his hooves into the air. He brought it down hard towards the group and they all jumped out of the way to avoid the impact.

“Chopper! Stop!” Sanji demanded.

“It’s no use,” Nami replied, “He won’t listen to any reason.”

Chopper was panting heavily and he roared again before crashing through the wall and leaving the room. “How did this even happen?!” Nana asked with her eyes wide.

“We were....attacked by the octopus hair guy and pushed to our limits. Chopper...felt like he had no choice and he ate a rumble ball for the third time today,” Nami said shakily.

“Rumble ball?” Nana asked but Sanji was not in the mindset to answer her question.

“THREE?!” he shouted, “Why the hell did he do something so reckless?!”

“We were about to get killed!” Nami said, “That CP9 member was just too strong and-”

“I should’ve taken him on...and let you deal with Kalifa,” Nana replied and bit her lip, “I let my emotions get in the way and-”

“Chopper made his decision,” Sanji said sternly, not taking his eyes away from Chopper, “You did what you felt you had to do, Nana-chan, and so did he.”

“Ow! Deer-gorilla! Where did you go?!” Franky’s voice shouted from outside before climbing into the room from the initial hole Chopper had made.

“Franky! What are you doing here?” Nana asked.

“Nana-brat!” Franky exclaimed, “That deer-gorilla came through here, didn’t he?”

“Chopper?” Nami exclaimed, “Yes...he just passed through.”

“What the hell happened to him? I was fighting that Chapapapa guy outside because he came looking to get his key back,” Franky explained, “And then the deer-gorilla came out of nowhere.”

“Ah…” Nami said solemnly, “We were fighting another member of CP9 and Chopper...lost control of his powers.”

“So you don’t know how to deal with it?” Franky asked.

Nami and Sanji both shook their heads.

Franky frowned and then shrugged. “I guess we’ll just have to put him down.”

_ Thwack! Thud! Bonk! _

Instantly Franky was hit on both sides by Sanji’s kick and Nami’s metal weapon while Nana punched him hard in the gut with her metal gloved hand. “Idiot!” they all shouted at him.

“If you say that again,  _ I’ll _ put you down,” Nami seethed.

“I’ll..I’ll never say that again,” Franky whimpered as two lumps formed on his head and he got back up to his feet, “But…we still need to do something. If he continues to go on a rampage, we don’t know how long this tower is going to last.”

“What do you mean?” Nana asked.

“Ow! Nana-brat, did you not know that this tower has been cut in half on the floor above us?!” Franky demanded.

“WHAT?!” Nana was shocked. “I mean, I felt the building shake earlier but I didn’t know it was because of a cut…”

“Must be Zoro…” Nami scoffed. The mention of the swordsman made Nana alert.

“AH! I have to give him the key!” she shouted as she clutched the #2 key in her fist and ran out the door.

“Wait! Nana-chan-” Sanji started to call after her but she was already out the room with Pygmy by her side. He sighed and ran a hand through his wet hair. 

“Ow! What’s with the naked lady?” Franky asked as his eyes fell on Kalifa.

“Nana-chan ripped her clothes to find the transponder snail from earlier,” Sanji said casually but a small drop of blood came out of his nose as he glanced over at the CP9 member.

“Super bold, Nana-chan,” Franky cheered.

“CAN YOU FOCUS ON THE ISSUE?!” Nami shouted at the pair.

* * *

“ROARRRRRR!”

“Ch-Ch-Chopper?!”

Nana could hear the faint sounds of Zoro and Usopp’s voice and she gripped the key tighter in her fist as her and Pygmy ran towards the ruckus. She skidded to a halt when she reached the opening to the room they were in.

For a moment, she thought she had found her way outdoors. The room was a beautiful zen garden with real grass, bonsai trees, and even a small koi pond with a bridge. The sky could be seen because there was a giant gash through the walls and the ceiling was already halfway from sliding off from the angled slice.

Then her eyes moved past Chopper, Usopp, and Zoro in the room and it fell on the two giant animals behind her. It was a large wolf and a very square giraffe. “Does Enies Lobby have its own zoo?!” she asked incredulously.

“Nana!!!” Usopp cheered when he saw her standing at the entrance, “Please go get the #2 key!”

She looked at him and saw that he was lying lengthwise along Zoro’s arm above the ground. He was also holding one of Zoro’s katana straight out. She could see handcuffs linking Usopp to the swordsman. “What the…” 

“This is the renowned sword, Nose Storm,” Zoro said confidently as he held onto Usopp’s belt and swung him around.

“WHAT THE HELL?! I’VE BEEN WORKING SO HARD TO GET YOU GUYS THE #2 KEY AND YOU TWO IDIOTS  HAVE BEEN JUST FUCKING AROUND?!” Nana exclaimed.

“AHHH! You got the key?!” Usopp screamed excitedly.

“What do you mean by that?!” Zoro was indignant and pointed a finger back at the two animals behind him, “I’ve been fighting very seriously trying to take down those two!”

Nana’s eyes scanned the two animals and she frowned. “Okay, maybe I see the wolf being an opponent but a giraffe? That seems pretty lame.”

“Pwahahhahahaha, Kaku!” the wolf laughed at the giraffe, “Even she thinks you’re lame.”

“Ka...KAKU?!” Nana eyes widened and she stared at the giraffe, “I always thought you were square...but...this is taking it to a whole new level.”

Her fists clenched by her side and she caught his eye for a moment. Nana inhaled sharply as a pang of sadness hit her as they looked at each other. He might not be in his original form but his eyes were still the same. 

They were the eyes of the man who taught her how to jump off a building. The same man who took her to the hospital right after when she landed wrong and broke several bones in her body. It was the man who always reminded her to watch her mouth but not in a demanding way that Paulie did. He was the man who ran freely and laughed freely at the shipyards. Nana thought she would be angry at him, seeing him up close, but all Nana felt was grief.

“ROARRRR!” Chopper growled, suddenly reminding everyone of his presence. He turned and stood up straight, glaring down at Nana.

“Oh shit!” Nana was about to run forward when she was grabbed back by Franky, who had suddenly appeared behind her.

“Step aside, Nana-brat,” Franky commanded as he raised his two hands in front of him. A small pipe came out from between his arms and his arms started to swell, “Move out of the way, everyone!”

“Franky!” Zoro  shouted, “What are you trying to do? Chopper is one of our-”

“I know,” Franky replied, “Just be quiet! This is the only way we could think of in dealing with him.”

“We?” Nana asked and then she nodded in understanding when she saw his pose. “Oh, I see.”

“Oy, Franky-” Zoro started to protest again.

“Power holders have a weakness...I’m going to push him into the sea. I’ll go easy on him so just bear with me,” Franky said solemnly, “Coup de...VENT!”

With a strong gust of wind, Franky blasted Chopper through the wall and then the cyborg ran after him. They both fell down into the sea below. Kaku and the wolfman ran towards the opening and looked down. “They’re attacking their own...What the hell?” they grumbled at each other.

“OY! FRANKY! That’s too reckless! What do you think-” Usopp shouted indignantly as he tried to run after the cyborg but he was still chained to Zoro. 

“Don’t worry,” Nami said as she and Sanji appeared at the wall, “We discussed this with him already.”

Nana hurriedly rushed over and fitted the #2 key to the cuffs. They released from both ends and Nana held the cuffs in her hands. Zoro stepped out and faced the two CP9 members, while Usopp took a step back.

The animals turned to them and the wolf laughed. “Looks like they’re finally freed.”

“You’d better stop laughing and start regretting,” Zoro growled back, “Never again will you get a chance to slay me.” 

Nana couldn’t help but nod appreciatively at Zoro’s back and she turned to Pygmy. “He’s got good lines.”

Sanji scowled, “Stop showing off in front of Nana-chan, you shitty morimo, and just hurry up and get the keys already!”

“Oh yah, the keys!” Nami exclaimed and she angrily shouted at Usopp and Zoro, “I can’t believe you guys have been acting so dumb at a tough time like this!”

Usopp and Zoro both pointed at each other. “That’s because this guy has been doing stupid stuff,” they said in unison.

“YOU BOTH ARE STUPID!” Nami snarled, “Just shut up and get the keys!”

Kaku laughed coldly. “Easier said than done, don’t you think?”

“Kaku…” Nana took a step towards the giraffe. She dropped her hammer on the floor and held out a hand towards him, “If it really is you...you will not hurt me.” 

The giraffe tilted his head to the side, studying the girl, while the Straw Hats turned to her in shock. “Nana-chan!” Sanji reached out and grabbed her wrist in an attempt to hold her back, “Don’t go towards him! He’s dangerous.”

“You’re not going to hurt me,” Nana stated to Kaku without even reacting to Sanji, “You won’t hurt me.” 

Kaku threw his head back and laughed heartily. “Now what makes you think that?” 

“Because I know you. You’re not like Lucci. Lucci has always been a little distant and hid behind his bird...but you...” Nana held up her hand even higher, “There’s kindness in you...and warmth. I’ve seen it. How many times have you pulled Paulie out of the gambling halls before it was too late? How many times have you spoken on my behalf whenever I got into trouble?”

“Don’t be so naive,” Kaku scoffed, “I was just playing a role to gain your trust in order to get closer to Iceberg-san!”

At first, Sanji thought the angel was just buying her time to retrieve the key with her magnet but then he realized that the hand he was holding back had the metal glove on it.  “Nana-chan!” he urged, “This man is-”

“Then why do you still call him, Iceberg-san?!” Nana shouted, ignoring Sanji completely, “Look me in the eyes and tell me that you had never considered us your friends. Tell me that you had never felt content in your life on Water 7 as a shipwright!” 

For a second, she thought she saw a look of sadness cross his face but it was so quick that she couldn’t be sure. Kaku lowered his head so they could be eye level. “Tempest Kick!” Kaku shouted and sent a bright slashing kick flew towards Nana.

“Nana-chan!”

_ Shing! _

Sanji pulled Nana backwards just in time for Zoro to jump in her place and block the attack with his swords. 

“How dare you take advantage of Nana-chan’s forgiving heart like that?!” Sanji shouted angrily at the giraffe.

“AHHHH!” Nami and Usopp wailed as they quickly ran out of the room and hid behind the wall. 

“Fight! Zoro, fight!’ they cheered.

“You guys do something too! Don’t just run away!” Zoro bellowed back them as he pushed the attack away from him and towards the wall on the side.

Nana wordlessly turned her back on Kaku and picked up her hammer. Her left hand was covered in her blood and it made her hold slightly slippery so she lifted it with both her hands. She leaned it against her shoulder and then turned back to Kaku. “So be it,” she said with resolve.

“Oy, Nana. Curly Brow, leave him to me!” Zoro lunged forward towards the giraffe, “Your neck is pretty long. You’d better hope it doesn’t become a weak point.”

Kaku pulled his head back, causing his neck to bend. “No need to worry about that,” he replied coolly as he avoided one of Zoro’s swords, “The muscles I gained are strong enough that I can even freely control my neck and it’s power too. Nose Pistol!”

He thrusted his long square nose at Zoro, who blocked it by crossing his three swords together. The impact of it sent a shockwave through the room and it whipped Nana’s hair back. She instinctively took a step towards Pygmy and placed a hand on his head to make sure he was okay. He sniffed her bloodied hand and licked her fingertips. 

She looked down at him and he whined at her. “I’m okay, Pyg. Honest,” she said with a smile.

“Gahhhhh!” Zoro cried and Nana looked over just in time to see him push Kaku to the side. The giraffe flew across the room and his head went straight into a pile of large rocks. Kaku stood back up and a boulder fell off of his nose with a square shaped hole in its center.

“Whoa. His nose made that square shaped hole,” Nami breathed, “That nose is more amazing than Sogepp’s.”

“S-S-S-Sogepp?!” Usopp sputtered, “Who are you calling Sogepp and don’t make uncalled for comparisons like that!”

“Looks like Kaku has gotten quite proficient with his powers,” the wolfman observed. He had shifted to the side of the room and was standing in the corner nearest to Nami, Usopp, Nana, and Sanji.

Nana whirled around in surprise to look at him.  _ He’s faster than Kalifa! _

“EEK!” Nami and Usopp shouted.

“Oy,” Sanji said and inserted himself in front of Nana, “I’m your opponent, you hairy bastard. You’re going to have to deal with me.”

The wolfman licked his lips. “Good. I was kind of bummed that I had to fight that guy,” he said and shot a look over at Usopp, “He seemed really weak, like a lamb waiting for slaughter.”

Usopp’s head jerked back and his fists tightened around his Kabuto. “I am not weak! I am a hero,” he shouted and he drew his slingshot back, “Eat this, you bastard! Special Attack! Sunflower star!” 

He released a pellet that exploded into a thick dust cloud at the wolfman’s face.

“Oh, I see...Fireworks, eh?” the wolfman called, appearing unscathed from the other side of Usopp and then kicked Usopp hard across the room. In a blink of an eye, the wolfman reappeared in front of Usopp and he caught Usopp by the throat.

“His speed...” Nana gasped.

“Usopp!” Nami cried as she twirled her weapon that started to spark with electricity. She was about to run forward when Sanji held out an arm to stop her. 

Sanji’s eyes narrowed at the wolfman as he lit a cigarette. “Ladies, allow me.”

“Hehe, if you had stayed with the shepherds, they may have protected you...but you see what happens when a lamb wanders off?” the wolfman jeered.

_ Thwack!’ _

Sanji’s roundhouse kick flew high into the air and knocked the wolfman back much harder than he had done with Usopp. Blood flew out of the wolfman’s jaws as Usopp fell down onto the grass. Nana ran forward and skidded on her knees at the last second. “Gotcha,” she said as Usopp’s head landed in her arms and the rest of his body on the grass.

“Usopp is no lamb and I am no shepherd,” Sanji said coolly as he took a deep drag of his cigarette.

“Th-Then who the hell are you?” the wolfman demanded.

Sanji slowly lifted the cigarette out of his lips between his two fingers and he held it to the side of his face. “I’m the hunter.”

_ Tch _ , Zoro thought as he blocked another attack from Kaku,  _ Now who’s showing off in front of Nana. _

  
  



	18. The Dinner Show

Nana wasn’t sure what to focus on, the giraffe or the wolf. Zoro was up against Kaku and their blades clashed together in a blur, while Sanji stood in front of her, Pygmy, Nami, and Usopp, in order to run interference in case the wolfman attacked again. The wolf was wounded from Sanji’s kick and he had the wind knocked out of him.

“I...I’m sorry, Sanji,” Usopp panted as he got up to his feet, “I guess...I am weak after all..I-”

Sanji placed his cigarette back into his lips and he stared hard at Usopp. “Everyone has things that they can and can’t do, Usopp. Look outside...all of you.”

Nami, Usopp, and Nana both turned to look at the giant hole that Chopper and Franky had created and they collectively gasped. The Gates of Justice were starting to open.

“The Gates…” Nana whispered.

“Robin!” Usopp shrieked.

“Once those gates are opened and Robin-chan goes through there, the sea beyond hosts a nest of Sea Kings and we have no means to cross it. Past that, there's a large prison and Navy Headquarters,” Sanji reminded them, “Soon Robin-chan will be taken to a place beyond our reach.”

“Oh no…” Nami moaned, “Luffy didn’t make it in time?”

“Could this situation get any worse?” Nana asked out loud.

“In the worst situation, there’s always a chance, Nana-chan,” Sanji said to her before returning to his opponent, “Nami-san and Usopp, leave getting his key to us.”

Nana raised an eyebrow at Sanji and tilted her head. “Us?!”

The wolfman chuckled and got to his feet. “Finally...I can go all out,” he laughed with a lick across his lips.

“Usopp...Nana-chan,” Sanji instructed calmly, “I’ll do what you can’t do...and you two do what I can’t.”

“What?” Usopp asked, sharing a confused look with Nana.

“Think about it,” Sanji said, “Grasp the situation! Usopp, as long as we have you, we can save Robin-chan for sure!”

The wolfman growled and then got up to his feet. “Shave!” he called before disappearing in front of them.

“Go!” Sanji ordered to the group.

Instantly, Nana’s hand shot out and she tore off a piece of Usopp’s cape while Nami reached out and grabbed Usopp by the collar. The navigator pulled him out of the room, with him running backwards and choking on his cape. “Na-Na-Nami, let go. I can run for myself...And Nana, what the hell did you tear a hero’s cape for?!”

Nana waved and smirked at Usopp. “Souvenir,” she said cheekily. Then she put her hands on her hips and eyed Sanji. She was still at a loss on why she had to stay here. What can I do? He said he was going to fight this one...so why did he ask me to stay and fight?

Then her eyes widened with the answer. No! He didn’t ask me to fight...so then I must be here to get the key!

“Iron Body Kenpo!” the wolfman snarled as he reappeared to the side Sanji and lunged for him with his hands forward, “Wolf Repel!”

She jumped onto Pygmy’s back and then held out the key that she had taken from Kalifa. “See this key, Pyg?” she asked softly, “We need to find one exactly like this. It’s on the wolf’s body somewhere…”

Pygmy sniffed and then reared his hind legs. “Woof woof!”

“Good…,” Nana said and then held tightly onto his saddle horn, “Go!”

Pygmy dashed forward just as Sanji’s leg collided against the wolf’s claws. The shock wave from the impact sent Pygmy skidding to a halt. Nana’s eyes widened. “This power…”

Suddenly, Sanji was flung backwards and he sailed out of the room, crashing into a wall outside across the stairwell.

“SANJI!” Nana cried as she and Pygmy made a dash for him.

“Shave!”

The wolfman appeared right in front of Nana as she exited the room and he stood between her and Sanji along the railings that overlooked the stairwell. Nana could see the smoke and rubble where Sanji was behind the wolf. From across the main hall, she could just barely make out Nami and Usopp’s voices.

“Ah I got it!” Usopp shouted unexpectedly, “We can save her! As long as I’m around, we can save Robin!!! DAMN IT!”

“What do you mean, damn it?! You don’t have to get upset or anything,” Nami yelled at him.

He ran ahead of her. “Hurry up, Nami! I got it! I got it!”

“Be quiet,” Nami hissed as they rounded a corner and out of sight, “That wolf’s going to come after us.”

The wolf stopped in his trail and looked n Nami and Usopp’s direction. He chuckled, “Maybe I should kill them after all…” Then he turned back towards Nana and Pygmy and licked his lips. “Or I can go for the lambs that are already ready for slaughter.”

Pygmy growled at the wolfman and Nana grabbed her hammer. Sanji immediately shot up into the air and swung his leg towards the wolf. “Nana-chan, duck!”

Nana rolled off of Pygmy’s back just as Sanji’s leg kicked the wolfman right in the face. He crashed through a wall and Sanji calmly landed back on the floor. He offered his hand to Nana and helped her up to her feet. “Have you found it yet?”

Nana shook her head. “I need him to stay in one spot for at least a minute but first Pygmy needs to find out where he’s even hiding it.”

Sanji nodded. “You two just stay out of the fight and wait for your opening.”

Nana looked worriedly at Sanji. “Be careful, okay? Kalifa already took a number on you,” she said as she took her hand out of his and then jumped onto Pygmy’s back. They went a safe distance away behind Sanji and Nana readied her metal glove.

“Oohh! Your concern is revitalizing, Nana-chan!” Sanji shouted with confidence as he faced his opponent with his hands on his hips, “These mere scratches feel like they’ve healed already by your words.”

“Ugh,” the wolfman grumbled angrily as he stepped out from behind the wall. He rubbed his head and glared at Sanji. He put his palms together, revealing his sharp claws to Sanji, and ran towards his prey. “Ten Finger Pistol!”

Sanji swiftly sidestepped the claws and leapt over the wolf’s shoulder. He raised his leg in mid-air. “Troisième...Hachée!”

“Iron Body!” the wolfman snarled as Sanji’s leg straightened out and landed hard on the wolf’s shoulder. The wolf at first seemed unaffected but then he dropped to his knees. Sanji backflipped and landed ten feet away from the wolf.

The wolf slammed a paw down on the ground to steady himself and he panted. “That doesn’t work on me, you fool!”

“That technique you use to make your body like iron...is really a pain in the ass,” Sanji said as he smoked his cigarette.

The wolf eyes shined and then he kicked up from his kneeling position. “Tempest Lone Wolf Kick!”

Nana’s eyes widened as the slashing kick attack bounced off the floors, completely bypassing Sanji, and towards her and Pygmy. They jumped up to avoid the attack and the kick sliced through the wall behind them.

“Oy! You bastard. Leave Nana-chan out of this! Basse Côte,” Sanji shouted and leapt into the air. He kicked his leg straight forward towards the wolfman. “Longe! Tendron! Flanchet! Quasi! Queue! Cuissea! Jarret!”

The blonde landed kick after kick on the wolf, forcing the animal back. “Veau….” Sanji launched into the air again. “Shot!”

“Iron Body Kenpo!” the wolf growled and crashed his arms in front of him to block Sanji’s kick. He skidded back even more but he remained standing. “I told you, your kicks don’t work on me!”

He raised his two of his claws and dashed towards Sanji. “Wolf Fang!’

It punctured the cook and sent him flying towards Nana. She hurriedly leapt out off of Pygmy’s back and caught him from behind. “Gotcha,” she gasped as they both slammed into the wall, with Nana taking most of the impact. “Oof!”

“Nana-chan…” Sanji gasped as he got back up to his feet, “You don’t have to-”

Nana unbuttoned more of her shirt to reveal more of the metal armor. “I can take the force. It’s fine. I’ve got this on.”

Nana had unknowingly made the armor a bit too tight around the bust and it had pushed up her breasts to reveal deep cleavage. With Sanji standing over her, he was at the perfect angle. Sanji’s nose started to bleed. He quickly averted his eyes and placed a hand over his nose. “...Good work...Nana-chan,” he croaked weakly.

“Oy! Are you going to just completely ignore me?!” the wolf demanded, “I am the only Six Powers Master who can move around while using Iron Body, you know. I am not one to be ignored!”

Nana hurriedly rolled out of the way and out of Sanji’s line of sight. Sanji flashed his eyes angrily at the wolf.

“Don’t interrupt when the conversation just got interesting!” Sanji seethed as he did a running jump and landed a couple more kicks at the wolf, “Deuxième Hachée!”

The wolf shot backwards and collided hard against the wall. It left a huge dent in the stone and the wolf slumped on the floor.

“Did it work?” Nana asked as she and Pygmy cautiously walked towards Sanji.

“We shall see…” Sanji said. He held out an arm out to block Nana from getting any closer.

“Well done…” the wolfman finally whispered and he opened his eyes to look at Sanji, “I’ve been waiting for a man like you. It’s fate that has brought us all here today.”

“What?” Nana and Sanji asked.

_Clink!_

Nana’s eyes widened as the wolf threw the key out in front of him. Pygmy growled and hunched his shoulders at the key.

“Take it...Go save Robin...and then protect Nana…” the wolf grunted.

“What?! What are you saying?” Sanji demanded.

“I kept quiet about this...but...Nana...is actually my sister…” the wolf said, “We were separated a long time ago. You see...my real name...is Gridley Sylvester.”

“WHAT?!” Nana exclaimed.

“Gridley?” Sanji asked in confusion.

“It’s true,” the wolf insisted solemnly, “It was over 13 years ago...but I remember it like it was yesterday. On an island in South Blue, on a sunny, pleasant summer day, Nana and I went to a beach to play. We used to be really close. We were really happy that day. Until they came…. When I wasn't looking pirates came and took Nana and I never saw her again...And then I joined the government. When I saw the picture of Nana from Kalifa’s reports I just knew that was my sister so I stayed quiet in order to watch over her from a distance….But now that I know she’s with a guy like you, I can safely hand her over and ask you to protect her. So go...save Robin and also keep my sister safe.”

“Really? Are you really my brother?” Nana cried and she leaned over Sanji’s arm and reached out a hand towards the wolf.

“Nana-chan!” Sanji gasped, “You can’t possibly believe him.”

Sanji tried to pull her back but her hand remained outstretched. Sanji was about to throw her behind him when he felt her hand give his arm a gentle squeeze. He paused for a second before he realized what she was doing.

“Yes, I am your brother!” the wolf cried and he opened his arms to Nana, “Come to me, my sister!”

“Brother!” Nana cried again.

“No, Nana-chan! You can’t trust him!” Sanji exclaimed dramatically.

Suddenly, Nana went still and she smirked at the wolf. “Catch.”

“What?!” the wolf gasped.

_Shing!_

The key at the wolf’s feet flew into the palm of her metal glove. She closed her hand around the key and straightened her back. “Idiot,” she scoffed, “We look nothing alike.”

Sanji held her wrist and then pulled it up so that they could both take a victorious and dramatic bow. Pygmy thumped his tail against the floor and barked happily at his master.

“Please give it up for Nana-chan’s spectacular performance,” Sanji shouted with a flourish and he gestured to her as she took another bow.

Then she did the same to him. “I could not have done that without my best supporting actor, Sanji!” she exclaimed.

“Ah, you’re too kind, Nana-chan...But let’s not forget the male lead...the one who really stole the show with his over the top, dramatic rendition of ‘Crap Stories that Only Idiots Would Buy,” Sanji declared.

“MIIIISTERRRR WOOOOOLF!” Both he and Nana chorused as they raised their hand towards the wolf, who was getting quite red in the face.

“Why you...” the wolf growled as he got up to his feet.

“Nana-chan…” Sanji said as he kept a close eye on the wolf, “Now that we have finished the show...Let me go prepare the main course. How do you like your wolf?”

“I actually don’t like wolf so I might skip this meal.” Nana replied as she pocketed the key and jumped on Pygmy’s back.

“A great selection,” Sanji said, “And don’t worry...Usopp will handle the bill.”

Nana tilted her head curiously at Sanji and then her eyes widened. She nodded her head in understanding before her and Pygmy ran off. He is really clever.

The wolf took a step towards Nana but Sanji shifted over so that he was blocking the wolf’s way. “How many times do I have to say that I’m your opponent?”

“Iron Body,” the wolf said in preparation as he glared at Sanji and Sanji matched his intensity for just a second. Then he relaxed and smiled. “Well then...bye now!” the blonde sang as he brusquely turned to run behind Nana.

“AHHH! Hold it!” the wolf screamed. “I’m the one who has the trademark of trickery and foul play! How dare you mock me!”

Okay now that the angel has gotten a head start and out of harm's way, I can go all out with this hairy bastard, Sanji thought as he watched her round the corner with her pet.

 

Nana held out the torn cape of Usopp to Pygmy as they ran forward. “You got the scent, Pyg?”

  
“Woof woof!” Pygmy barked.

Nana let out a breath of relief and she stuffed the cape into her pocket. They ran through the corridors and she was very surprised to see that they were going towards the upper levels. Suddenly, she pulled back on Pygmy’s saddle. “Stop! Stop!

Pygmy skidded to the side and he looked up at her curiously. Nana jumped off his back and into a room that had the door slightly opened. Few seconds later, she pushed out an extra large cannon. “Yosh!!! I knew I saw one,” she said as she started to push the cannon forward, “We definitely...probably...hopefully will need this.”

“Alright!...Let’s do this,” she grunted, “Lead the way, Pyg,”

By the time she reached the door that lead to the rooftop, Nana was sweating profusely and Pygmy was panting heavily. “Are you..sure..he’s here?” Nana gasped, “Because I’m not pulling a cannon back down thirty flights of stairs.”

Pygmy whined and then pointed his nose at the door.

“Okay...Okay…” Nana said and she turned the knob. Immediately, a strong gust of wind blew in her face and she clenched her teeth before kicking the door open.

“AHHHH!” Usopp screamed as the door slammed against the wall but then he stopped short when he saw Nana. “Nana...what are you doing here?”

“I should ask you that…” Nana panted as she dug out the key from her pocket and a piece of his cape, “Pygmy followed your scent up here…and I’m supposed to give you this key, I think.”

“Oh! Thank you!” Usopp said as he took both out of her hands.

“USOPP!!!” Nami shouted as she ran up the staircase towards Nana, “Just got this from Sanji and Zoro. Here’s the last key,” she said as she held out a key with the number 5 on it.

“YES! 1 and 5 and Franky on his way with 3 and 4,” Usopp counted as he wrapped the two keys up with the torn piece of cape and tied a sturdy knot at the top.

“What’s the cannon for?” Nami asked Nana as she leaned against it.

“No idea,” Nana admitted, “But it never hurts to have one around.”

“You don’t even have a cannonball!” Nami shouted

Nana shrugged, “You don’t need one.”

“YES, YOU DO!” Nami was incredulous, “A cannon without a cannonball is just a giant lawn ornament!”

Nana’s eyes twinkled and she winked at Nami. “Maybe to you...but I’m a craftsman.”

“Ugh, you’re impossible,” Nami groaned and then she waved to Usopp, “Usopp! I’m going to go down the tunnels with Granny Kokoro and the rest of them.”

“Yosh, leave it to me, the hero, Sogeking!” Usopp said with a puffed chest.

“Thanks, Nosepp,” Nami replied as she left.

“N-N-N-OSEPP?!” Usopp sputtered, “You’re not even using any part of the ‘Sogeking’ name.”

“Live up to the name first, ‘King of Snipers’,” Nana replied as she sat down at the edge of the roof and stared out towards the Gates of Justice.

There was a long bridge that led up to the Gates.. Below her, she could spot a couple of figures along the bridge. Spandam was about thirty feet away from the Gates and he was dragging Robin behind him. At least, Nana figured it was them two as those were the only possibilities. They all looked like ants to her since she was so high up.

“Oy...Sogeking,” Nana said softly, “Can you make this shot? Even with this wind and distance?”

“Yes,” Usopp replied without hesitation. Then he looked down at her. “Can’t you? I heard you were pretty good with a cannon.”

“Tch,” Nana scoffed, “A cannon is a cannon. It’s big and heavy so easier to control. A slingshot...that’s another story…”

“Well then stand back and watch the hero at work,” Usopp said confidently.

Nana scoffed again, “Hero? Honestly, if you can make this shot, I’ll call you a god.”

“What?” Usopp shrieked and then he regained his composure, “Really?!”

Nana smirked up at him, “Want to make a bet? You make this shot and I’ll refer to you as ‘sama’, regardless if you go by Sogeking...or Usopp.”

“I..I don’t know why you would pull my friend, Usopp, into this,” Usopp blustered, “...But what happens if I don’t make this shot?”

Nana shrugged, “Robin gets taken away, the government gets her, we all die either from the Buster Call or from the ancient weapon, and that’ll be the end. You really want to add more to the consequences?”

Usopp gulped. “Good point.”   
  
“So we have a deal?”

“Why are you making this deal? Seems like a lose-lose on your end?”

“Because I respect you,” Nana said honestly, without taking her eyes away from the Gates of Justice, “You stood by your ship, you came back for your friends despite your disagreement with them, and...you’re about to become the world’s greatest sniper...But that’s only if you can make this shot, of course.”

“O-Of course,” Usopp said and then took a deep breath. “Okay...I’ll take your bet.”

Nana smiled grimly. “Great. I really don’t want to win this one.”

“Yosh…” Usopp said and he readied his Kabuto and placed a small white pouch at the pocket, “Get ready for some fireworks.”

Nana reached into her bag and then pulled out an iron helmet that she had found in the armory earlier. She placed her goggles in her bag and then pulled the helmet over her aviator helmet and her head. “Let’s light this place up.”


	19. Delivering the Package

_ Boom! _

Sanji took a deep drag of his cigarette and then put the binoculars back on his eyes. “Here he goes,” he mumbled to the shitty morimo next to him.

High above them, the sniper was singing his own tune. “On the Island of Snipers, I was born, 100 Shots, 100 Hits, Lu lu la la lu.”

Sanji watched as the marines around Robin got bombarded with Usopp’s attacks. “Looks like they’ve spotted Usopp and the leather face bastard is freaking out,” he said as a giant grin spread across his face, “See that?! Our sniper is amazing, isn’t he?!”  Sanji laughed heartily. “Damn well. Serves them right! Robin-chan! Run!” he cheered.

“...LOCK...ON!!!” came a screech from above.

Zoro scowled at the cheery cook and then up at the sniper. “Does he really have to sing?” he grunted, “And you’re in an especially good mood. What’s going on?”

Sanji raised an eyebrow at Zoro and smirked at him., “You wouldn’t understand, you meathead.”

“Huh?! What’s that supposed to mean?” Zoro snapped.

‘“It means that lady luck seems to have been very kind to me today,” Sanji said as he puffed on his cigarette.

“What are you talking about?” Zoro growled.

“See? I told you, you wouldn’t understand,” Sanji replied. 

Yes, today was a very good day for him. Robin-chan was about to be saved, he had finally earned some points in Nami-san’s eyes and it seems that lady luck had sent him a guardian angel in the form of the delightful Nana-chan. She was strong, she was soft, she was...flying through the air?!

“WHAT THE HELL?!” Sanji and Zoro both shouted incredulously as Sanji raised his binoculars back to his eyes and watched Nana sail through the air towards the bridge. She was clutching a red parcel at her chest and she had on a helmet that looked like it belonged on an old suit of armor.

“Woof woof!” they heard a dog bark above them.

“Go, Nana, go!!!” Usopp shouted as well and the cook and swordsman gaped up at him.

“What the hell did you do?!” Sanji thundered.

“EEP! It wasn’t my idea!” Usopp screeched.

* * *

_ Boom! _

Nana coughed and tumbled forward onto the floor of the bridge. Her arms and legs, the parts that weren’t covered in iron, ached badly and Nana knew from experience she would be paying dearly for it the next day. She got up to her feet and ran towards Robin, who was looking at her with widened eyes.

The marines had raised their weapons. Spandam stood at the center of the marines, at the Gates of Justice and he was pointing a finger at Robin.  “Fire!” he shouted, “And aim for the girl too!”

Quickly, Nana darted forward and grabbed Robin by the shoulders. “Who are you?!” Robin gasped.

“You wished to live, right?” Nana asked dryly and then without hesitation, Nana turned and pushed Robin to the ground so that Nana’s back was covering the top of Robin’s head and facing the marines. “Well then, consider me your wish-granting fairy godmother.”

_ Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! _

The marines opened fire and Nana clutched Robin tightly to her. When the barrage finally stopped, Nana opened her eyes, slightly surprised by how little bullets had actually hit her. The bullets had all bounced off the iron armor on her back but she had only felt five. That couldn’t be right. She heard at least twice as much rounds go off. She and Robin turned at the same time to look over their shoulders and their eyes widened.

“OW! Nana-brat, looks like you and I had the same idea!” Franky said with a grin and his arms outstretched to shield them from the bullets, “But since when did you get an iron body?”

“I didn’t...I found an armory,” Nana replied as she released her hold on Robin and unfolded the red package in her hands.

“WHAT?! WHAT THE HELL ARE THEY?!” Spandam shouted  

“My body is strong because it’s made of iron...and that girl behind me is just a metal nut,” Franky said.

“Hey!” Nana huffed as she fitted key #1 into Robin’s handcuffs. It didn’t work.

“You have the keys?” Robin gasped.

“I told you, I’m your fairy godmother,” Nana quipped as she tossed the key over her shoulder and into the water.

Franky, oblivious of what was happening behind him, narrowed his eyes at the chief of CP9, “That landmine wasn’t nice, Spanda.”

“Franky,” Nana called out as she fit in #5, “Can you give me your keys in case this one doesn’t work? I-”

_ Clink! _

Both Robin, Franky, and Spandam gasped as Robin’s Sea Prism Stone cuffs unlocked and fell to the floor. Nana swiftly picked it up and stuffed it into her bag along with the one Zoro and Usopp had on earlier. She dropped key #5 into her bag too.

“N-N-Not possible! How did you get the keys?!” Spandam screamed.

Robin’s knees gave out and Nana hurriedly grabbed her. “Hey, pull yourself together. We still have a long way to go,” Nana urged.

“Does...does this mean, you guys defeated everyone in CP9 in the Tower of Law?!” Spandam cried.

Before anyone could respond, a metallic voice interrupted from Franky’s chest. “Oy, Franky? Franky?!” 

Franky pulled out a pink transponder snail that Nana recognized as belonging to Kalifa’s. “OW!” he answered, “I thought this snail was for-”

“Nami gave it to me. What’s the status?” Usopp shouted from the other end.

“We just released the handcuffs of Nico Robin,” Nana reported.

“Ahem,” Usopp coughed and Nana let out a small chuckle, “What was that, Nana-chan?”

“We just released the handcuffs to Nico Robin, Sogeking- _ sama _ ,” she corrected with a chuckle.

“Thank you, Long Nose,” Robin breathed.

“You can thank those who fought hard to gather the keys when this is all over,” Usopp replied, “You are without a doubt, one of Luffy-kun’s gang! You can now do as you wish!”

Robin wiped the tears from her eyes and she nodded. “Yes,” she said with a relieved smile. Suddenly she turned towards Spandam and crossed her arms.

Franky and Nana stood behind her and smirked at the marines. Spandam immediately gave a panicked whimper and took a step back.

“Seis Fleurs!” Robin shouted and then six arms sprouted out of Spandam’s chest. They started to slap the man silly, “Slap!”

“Whoa…” Franky and Nana both said at the same time.

“I’ll do this to my heart’s content,” Robin said. 

By the time she finished, Spandam’s face had swelled up to three times its normal size. Blood was coming out of his ears, nose, and mouth and he collapsed to the floor. “Chief!” the marines exclaimed.

“Serves you right!” Nana retorted.

“Okay, guys! Hurry up and get over here!” Franky ordered into the transponder snail, “Nana-brat and I will get things ready-”

Nana’s head jerked up as she looked to the sky. “Franky, did you hear that?!” she interrupted.

“Ow, seriously I never figured out how the hell you got super hearing. Are you sure you’re not a cyborg?” Franky complained as Nana kept surveying the skies.

_ Boom!  _

Suddenly in the distance there was an explosion on the iron fence that was only a few hundred feet away from the edge of the island. Nana narrowed her eyes. “Cannonfire. 36 pounder,” she said solemnly. 

Then her head tilted to the side as she heard the sound of another incoming cannon. There was no mistaking this one as it was closer. Then her eyes widened as she realized just how close the cannon was getting. She grabbed the transponder snail out of Franky’s hands. “Pygmy! Get Usopp and jump!!!’ she cried.

“WOOF! What?! Ahhhhh! Boom!!!” 

A mix of Pygmy barks, Usopp cries, and a cannon ball came through the transponder snail just as Nana and everyone else witnessed an explosion on the roof of the Tower of Law. It sent the top half of the building tumbling backwards and into the sea.

“Long Nose!” Franky and Robin gasped at the same time.

There was a moment of silence as they waited with bated breath. 

“Franky! Nana-chan! Robin-chan! We’re okay here,” finally came Sanji’s voice over the snail and they all breathed a sigh of relief, “Nana-chan, I caught Pygmy for you. He’s doing fine.”

“WHAT ABOUT ME?! WHY DIDN’T YOU OR ZORO CATCH ME?!” Usopp cried indignantly in the background.

“We’ll head over to you right away,” Sanji reported and then hung up.

“Thank goodness,” Robin sighed.

“Well then. Let’s do something about things here,” Franky said as he put the snail away. He turned to Robin, “Hey, can I count on you to help fight?”

“Of course,” Robin replied with a smile.

“Ow. Nana-brat, you ready?” Franky asked.

Nana raised her hammer and tossed her helmet off her head so she could see better, “Been waiting for this all day.”

The marines started to run towards them. “Hurry up! Take care of them before the attack goes into full gear!” Spandam screamed from behind.

“There’s an escort ship on the other side of the bridge, huh?” Franky asked Robin as he pulled off the glove of his right hand to reveal his iron fist, “Don’t you think that’s the key to our escape?”

“Looks like stealing that ship is our only chance of surviving,” Robin answered.

“Stealing ships and starting a war with the government?” Nana muttered to herself, “Maybe I am turning into a pirate.”

The marines aimed their weapons and cocked their guns.

“Dieciséis Fleur!” Robin called and crossed her arms. An arm sprouted out of the arm of each of the marines and it lifted the gun barrels up. The guns fired into the air at nothing.

“Nana Special!” Nana yelled as she whipped her hammer across and towards the marines. “Hammerang!”

Her hammer swept across the group, knocking the marines to the ground, before returning back to Nana’s hold. 

“Ow! You finally increased the field range of the glove!” Franky shouted and nodded in approval.

“I know! I figured if I-” Nana started to say.

“Now now, Nana-brat!”  Franky shouted as he blasted his right arm towards an incoming wave of marines, “Strong...Face-Slap!!”

The chain in his arm continued to sail forward until Franky grabbed onto the end. He pulled it one way and another to swing his hand across each of the marines’ faces.

_ “ _ Treinta Fleur!” Robin called as thirty hands popped out from the ground and grabbed onto their legs. They pulled the marines to the floor.

“Master Nail!” Franky shouted as he shot out nails out of his mouth. The nails lodged in the sides of the marine uniforms, “Go, Nana-brat!”

Nana raced across each body and with quick swings of her hammer, she hit the nails firmly into the ground, locking the marines in place.

“Third wave go!” Spandam shouted.

“God, this is endless!” Franky complained, “Nana-brat. Nico Robin! Both of you stand back!”

Nana rushed back to Robin’s side and they took a few steps back as Franky unleashed attack after attack. “Weapons Left!”

“So you’re Franky’s little sister?” Robin asked politely amidst the gunfire.

“Oh...not really. I’m Iceberg’s adopted daughter,” Nana replied, “But Franky watched over me and taught me a lot of weapons making.”

“Oh, I see,” Robin said. 

“Fresh Fire!” Franky screamed.

“Oh! My name is Mizu Nana, by the way,” Nana said under her breath as she watched a bunch of marines run away screaming from Franky’s flames, “Sorry, should have mentioned that earlier.”

“No need to apologize. It’s been quite an eventful day,” Robin replied.

“Tell me about it,” Nana agreed.

“Franky Boxing!!!” Franky cried as he jabbed and punched his way through another group of marines.

“Franky’s very energetic,” Robin commented.

“He just refilled on cola so he’s in super mode right now,” Nana explained, “That’s what he runs on. Cola.”

“Oh, how innovative,” Robin said.

“Are you guys going to keep chatting or are you going to help?!” Franky finally yelled at them.

“You told us to stand back…” Robin and Nana said at the same time. 

“Ow!” Franky smirked and he showed off his star tattoos on his arms. “You’re lucky I am feeling super right now and ready to go all out!”

“What offensive power…We can’t possibly fight back…” the marines gasped as they started to retreat.

Franky scowled. “Not enough for you? Then...Franky…Convert!”

Nana immediately put a palm to her face and she groaned. “Oh dear god. Not that.” 

Robin looked at her curiously and Nana sighed at the anthropologist. “I just want you to know that I tried really hard to talk him out of making the feature you’re about to see.”

Franky put his arms to the sides and his legs split into two vertical halves. The front half pushed forward with iron bars connecting it to his upper body and back half. “Franky Centaur!” 

“It’s…” Robin started to say.

“In the front. I know,” Nana said without taking her hand off of her eyes.

“But a centaur is-”

“I know,” Nana groaned.

“It’s a monster!” the marines screamed and ran away from Franky, “Get away from the monster!”

“SERIOUSLY?!” Nana dropped her hand and clenched them to the sides. She yelled at the marines, “HOW STUPID ARE YOU PEOPLE?!”

“Hold it, you bastards!” Franky said as he chased the marines around in his weird centaur form.

Robin chuckled and then crossed her arms. Immediately, arms sprouted out from the top of the marine’s heads and started to beat down on their skulls. The marines started to jump off the side of the bridge as a means to escape.

More and more marines came towards them and Nana, Robin, and Franky diligently beat them back without sustaining any new wounds or damage. “God damn it,” Nana cursed, “This is never ending.” 

She leapt high into the air and then sent her hammer crashing down to ground. “Thunder Shock!” she shouted as her hammer dented the ground and the shockwave sent the group of marines around her flying off of the bridge.

Nana started to get back on her feet but then she froze when she heard the faint sounds of cannonfire.  _ Five...No...Six cannons?!  _

_ Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! _

Behind her, cannonballs rained down onto Ennies Lobby. Nana, Robin, and Franky were stunned as five marine battleships came into view. Robin immediately dropped to her knees. “It’s begun…” she gasped, “Buster...Call…”

Robin started to tremble and she clasped her hands around her arms but it was no use. Fear came over her and she squeezed her eyes shut. Memories of Ohara’s last day came flooding into her head. Her mother, Saul, Professor Clover, the Tree of Life...Everything was swallowed up in flames and it felt like her mind was on fire too.

“Merciless, indiscriminate fire...It destroys anything and everything...It’s hellfire…” Robin whispered, her voice shaking just as much as her body, “That tragedy...that grisly event is...happening again!”

Nana knelt down beside Robin and she put her arms around the woman. “I want you to focus and just listen to my voice,” Nana whispered quietly, “Can you do that?” 

Robin remained silent and she continued to shiver but she lifted a hand and held onto Nana’s arm. Nana took a deep breath. “I know you’re scared...and you can’t control the fear that is overtaking your body. Your mind is going in different directions and you’re finding it hard to even breathe…”

Franky’s eyes widened as Nana continued to speak.  _ Nana-brat...That speech! _

* * *

 

_ \-- Flashback: 3 years ago. Nana: 13ish - Franky, 31 -- _

“Stop thrashing!” Franky scolded as Nana frantically pounded the water with her arms and legs. Splashes of water hit Franky from all sides of his body until finally one of Nana’s fists connected with his jaw. His hands were holding up Nana, who was trying to float, but after her strike, he instinctively drew back his hands to rub his jaw. Nana sank down like a rock.

“AHH!” Franky shouted and hurriedly pulled the girl up by the arm, “See what happens when you move around like that?! Now stay still!”

Nana choked up water and gasped for air. She glowered at Franky. “This isn’t working. You suck at teaching.”

Franky moved his sunglasses to the top of his head so that she could see that he was glaring just as much as she was. “Ow! My teaching is super. You’re the one who is not listening!”

“I can’t! As soon as I hit the water, I get scared and I can’t seem to do anything!” Nana shouted defensively, “Do you think I don’t want to learn? That I don’t want to be able to go into water without freaking out?”

Her voice shook with anger and frustration, “Franky, I can’t even take baths! I work in a shipyard and I can’t even get more than waist deep in water before losing my shit. Do you think I want to be known as the child of Water 7 who can’t even TOUCH water?!”

A droplet of water ran down her cheek and Franky couldn’t tell if it was a tear or just sea water. He took a deep calming breath and then softened his features. 

“Ow, Nana-brat. If that’s the case...” he said as gently as he could, “I want you to focus and just listen to my voice right now. Can you do that?” 

Nana gulped and nodded while her upper body was still dangling above the water from Franky’s hold. She closed her eyes and forced herself to not focusing on anything but Franky’s voice. 

“I know you’re scared...and you can’t control the fear that is overtaking your body,” Franky said slowly, “Your mind is going in different directions and you’re finding it hard to even breathe let alone think...but among all that panicking, deep down, there’s a part of you...a very small part...that is calm.”

Nana was stiff as a board and her breaths were sharp and fast paced. “That part of you knows that there’s nothing to be afraid of. That the worst has already passed…And deep down you know that it will never happen again. You are safe…,” Franky continued.

Nana’s breath started to even out and Franky gradually lowered her into the water. “Because you know that there are people around you who will super protect you no matter what. In your heart, you hold onto those people dearly and they feel the same about you. They would go through hell for you because you would do the same for them…”

Nana’s mind flashed to Iceberg...and Pygmy..,and Paulie...and the shipwrights of Dock #1...and then it moved to Franky, who was still speaking. 

“Those people are more powerful than anything that you are afraid of...so even if you are super scared, even if your heart is pounding and you can’t breathe, know that your fear is nothing compared to the power of those you love...instead of thinking about your fear, think about them. Believe in them.”

Franky paused and then Nana could hear the grin through his voice. “Now open your eyes, Nana-brat.”

Nana blinked and then gasped as the sea water hit her chin. Franky had lowered her almost completely into the water so that only her head was above it. Her body was still trembling but not as much as before and she didn’t feel panicked. Her mind was thinking clearly and she had control over her senses. “Franky! I’m...I’m…”

“You’re cured!” Franky exclaimed and released his hold on her wrist. She immediately sank towards the bottom at a rapid pace. “AHHH!”

Quickly, Franky dove into the water and fished her out. She gasped and spat out water before punching him across the face. “What the hell, Franky?! I still can’t swim!”

“I’m super! Not a miracle worker,” Franky retorted.

* * *

 

“...So even if you are scared,” Nana whispered softly, “Even if your heart is pounding and you can’t breathe, know that your fear is nothing compared to the power of those you love...instead of thinking about your fear, think about them...Believe in them.”

Tears fell down Robin’s eyes and she took a shaky breath. “Luffy...everyone…”

“Take this! Elephant Chop!” Spandam screamed from behind them.

“What?!” Robin gasped as she saw Spandam’s elephant sword come flying towards the back of Nana’s head. “Watch out!”

Nana remained still and her face was calm and solemn.

“Bastard!” Franky shouted and he leapt in front of the large blade and grabbed onto the sides. He skidded back and stopped the blade just an inch away from Nana’s head. 

“He stopped it?!” the marines shrieked.

Nana smirked at Robin. “See? I’m not scared...because I have someone by my side who I know will always have my back…So tell me, do you believe your nakama will come over here?”

“Everyone will...For sure,” Robin answered.

Nana grinned. “Then what are you so afraid of?” 


	20. Ready to Fight

“He’s so pathetic…” Franky muttered and aimed his arm cannon at the elephant’s face, “Oy, put your nose back to normal, elephant, or else I’ll shoot you between the eyes.”

The elephant whimpered and reformed his trunk. Nana got up to her feet, calmly dusted off her pants, and then studied the animal in Franky’s grip. “Smart elephant,” she commented, “Did he eat the Sword Sword Fruit?”

“Ha,” Spandom scoffed, “Shows how much you know. He’s a sword that ate a Zoan fruit.”

“WHAT?! How?!” Nana demanded.

“Ow, Nana-brat, now is not the time!” Franky scolded and then he dropped his hold on the elephant trunk. He glared at the leather masked man. “And as for you, Spanda, if I had had power that day...I would’ve gotten Tom-san back. I wanted to get him back at any cost. The Straw Hats...and even the stubborn Nana-brat-”

“Hey!” Nana muttered indignantly.

“...They have ignored common sense and have advanced despite knowing the wrath of the World Government,” Franky continued, “In order to rescue a friend...they make the world their enemy without a second thought.”

Franky grinned, “It’s exhilarating.”

He stepped up in front of the elephant and put his strong hands against the side of the elephant’s face. “Up to this day, I've never once forgotten about Tom-san's death. The stupid face of that official…” He started to drag the elephant behind him as he ran full speed towards Spandam. “Every time it went through my mind...I hoped that one day..I'd be able to crush him!”

He flung the elephant over his shoulder by the trunk and it landed heavily on top of Spandam. It created a huge dent on the floor. “Thanks to them…” Franky finished, “I’m able to fulfill my wish.”

“Weapons Left!” He opened his left arm and fired up his mechanical gun at the remaining marines, “I’m someone who died once. If it enables the Straw Hats and Nana-brat to leave this place alive, I don't mind sacrificing my life!”

“Idiot, I already said I wasn’t leaving without you,” Nana shouted as she ran forward with her hammer, “NANA SPECIAL!”

“Nana!” Franky gasped, immediately moving his arm away from her so that she wouldn’t get shot by a stray bullet.

“Kinetic Cannon!’ Nana swung her hammer hard and the force shot out into a highly pressured ball. It flew forward and exploded as it came into contact with a marine. The blast knocked over the group and sent them flying in all directions. The strength of the blast was even able to send the elephant, with Spandam under him, skidding forward, lengthening the dent on the bridge.

Robin watched the cyborg and the hammer wielding girl go all out for her and the Straw Hats. She took a deep breath and she got back on her feet. Her body had stopped trembling and her mind was calm. “I’m ready to fight!” she announced.

“Robin!” Nana shouted happily and looked back at the black haired beauty, “Are you sure?”

Robin nodded and smiled softly at Nana. “Thank you for reminding me that...I’m not alone anymore.”

Nana grinned and smashed her hammer in the face of an incoming marine, without even looking at him. “Just passing down what someone super once told me.”

“Owww! Nana-brat!” Franky sobbed as he wiped the tears falling from behind his sunglasses, “I’m not crying. Stop saying I am!”

“C’mon! Let’s head for the ship!!!” Nana yelled as she raced forward. They finished crossing the bridge and down the steps towards a dock where a large marine battleship was anchored. “There’s the escort ship!”

“Now it’s our _escape_ ship!” Franky yelled as he fired his weapons at the marines still on board.

Franky, Robin, and Nana stormed the ship and threw everyone overboard. With the combined power of Franky’s personal arsenal, Robin’s limbs, and Nana’s hammer, they made short work of the marines and even managed to leave the ship practically unscathed.

Nana put her hammer on her back and then placed her hands on her hips as she surveyed the deck. “Now that that’s done…” she said.

“All that’s left is to wait for the Straw Hats,” Franky finished and then he scooped her up from behind in his big burly mechanical arms. “Ow! Nana-brat! I still can’t believe you came to save me!!! You love me, you really love me!”

“GET OFF OF ME, YOU WEIRD ROBOT!” Nana roared as she tried desperately to get out of his clutches.

“Ow! You super think of me as your Bro!” Franky cried victoriously, “Come on. Say it again! Call me your Bro!”

“That was a once in a lifetime thing!” Nana shouted and she shoved a hand into Franky’s cheek to try to push him away, “I’m never doing it again! Now let go, you moronbot!!!”

Robin crossed her arms and chuckled at the pair. Then she heard a faint gurgling sound over the side of the ship. She peered over the railings.  Franky and Nana both froze as they noticed the sound too and immediately came to Robin’s side.

Something was bubbling up on the side of the ship. “What’s that?” Franky gasped.

“DON’T…..” Granny Kokoro shouted as she burst through the sea’s surface, “DIE!!!”

“AHHHHHHHH!” Franky and Nana cried in horror as Granny Kokoro flew over the tops of their heads, revealing clamshell pasties on her breasts and a pink tailfin, “YOU’RE REVEALING TOO MUCH, GRANNY!!!”

“My eyes...My eyes…” Nana exclaimed as she covered her face with her hands, “I can’t unsee that. I’M NEVER GOING TO UNSEE THAT!!!”

Robin gasped at something and Nana peaked over her hand to see what it was.  Then her eyes widened.  Granny Kokoro had landed on the deck with Zoro, Chopper, Sanji, Nami, Usopp, Chimney, Gonbe, and Pygmy spilling out of the coat Granny Kokoro was using to pull them behind her.

“Hey! Guys! Wake up!” Franky shouted to the group.

Fountains of waters blasted from their mouths and they coughed and gasped for breath.

“This can only be described as a miracle,” Franky said solemnly, “They..they must’ve received such a tremendous shock. They all stopped breathing so they didn’t swallow much water.”

Granny Kokoro laughed. “Good thing they’re all okay...but...what on earth could’ve shocked them enough to make them stop breathing?”

“It was you!” Both Franky and Nana exclaimed and pointed an accusing finger at Granny Kokoro.

“Huh?” Granny Kokoro asked and then her eyes fell on Robin, “You must be the friend that the pirate king kid came to rescue. I saw you at the shift station, remember?” Robin smiled as Granny Kokoro laughed again. “Back then, I didn’t think you guys could pull something like this on.”

Nana couldn’t help but be impressed by Robin’s composure. No matter how many times she’s seen Granny Kokoro as a mermaid, it still very much shocked her to the core.

“Put some clothes on you, you damn old hag,” Franky lectured.

“I laughed when I heard him say he was going to be King of the Pirates…” Granny Kokoro said as she casually pulled up her pants, “...but who knows? It might actually happen.”

“That’s not the part you should be covering first!” Nana snapped.

Suddenly, Zoro, Usopp, and Sanji both sat up and coughed violently. “Is...Is Nami-san okay?” Sanji gasped as he clutched his throat.

 _He wakes up and his first thought is Nami...He really is all about the ladies,_ Nana thought. Then she shook her head and rolled her eyes at herself. _Get a grip, Nana. What’s it to you?_

“You guys are as tough as ever,” Franky commented.

“I’m glad you guys survived!” Granny Kokoro chimed in.

Usopp’s head lifted and he screamed at the sight of Granny Kokoro in her clamshell pasties. “AHHHH! So it was real! Mermaids really don’t exist!”

“So the myths are true,” Zoro sputtered, “When sailors say they thought they spotted a mermaid but then it turned out to be a dugong!”

Nana snorted and then covered her mouth with her hands to block her laugh. _Granny Kokoro does look like a dugong..._

“You morons! She still hasn’t said she was a mermaid yet!” Sanji exclaimed as he turned his back on Granny Kokoro, avoiding eye contact, “Don’t give up on the dream just yet!”

“I’m an icefish mermaid,” Granny Kokoro announced happily.

“STOP IT!!!” Sanji cried and covered his ears with his head. He started to pound the deck with his fists, with his head still low. “I have an objection! I have so many objections to this!!! Mermaids should be...mermaids should be...a well-proportioned sexy body...smooth white skin...flowing hair that’s beaming and beautiful.”

“But I’ve never heard of a mermaid with legs,” Usopp protested.

Nana laughed along with Granny Kokoro. “Apparently,” Nana said, “When mermaids turn thirty, their tails fork into two and they become able to live on land. They’re a mysterious species, Sogeking-sama.”

“Sama?!” Sanji gasped incredulously as his head popped up to look at the mechanic, then his eyes widened when he saw their archeologist next to the angel.

“Ah...they say cats when they turn 100 their tails split into two,” Robin commented with her usual smile.

“Like monsters!” Usopp agreed and then his eyes widened as he realized who had just spoken.

“Don’t compare me to monsters!” Granny Kokoro huffed but the group was no longer listening to her.

“ROBIN-CHWANNNNN!” Sanji shouted. He sprung to his feet and flew towards Robin with his arms opened and his eyes filled with passion.

“ROBIN!!!” Nami and Chopper screamed as they hugged Robin and pulled her out of the way of Sanji. He lodged torso first into the middle of one of the ship’s beams. Nana laughed at all the commotion.

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” Nami cried, “Thank god we made it in time!”

“Ah,” Robin replied, “Yes, thanks to all of you guys.  Thank you!”

“WOOF WOOF!”

Nana turned just in time to have a soaking wet Pygmy crash into her arms and they both fell backwards onto the deck. Nana had the wind knocked out of her as her dog both licked her face and dripped sea water over her at the same time. She chuckled through her pain and petted Pygmy, “Good boy...Really good boy.”

“AH!” Chopper gasped as he fell off of Nami’s back and onto the floor, “I can’t move....”

“We’ll explain why later,” Zoro grunted as he jumped off the ship and made his way up the stairs back to the bridge.

Pygmy went over and sniffed the reindeer. He whimpered and then licked Chopper’s face. Nana got up to her feet and placed Chopper on Pygmy’s back. “Just stay on Pyg...he’ll take care of you,” Nana said and then she followed behind Zoro.

She could hear the cannons continue to ring out from the island and they only got louder with each step she took. When she reached the top, she drew in a sharp breath. The island was covered in flames and most of the buildings were already destroyed. The layer of smoke and smog that came off of the island was so thick that Nana could smell the traces of ash from where she stood.

“It’s hard to believe that’s the island we were up against until a few minutes ago,” Zoro said.

“What’s with these attacks?” Usopp asked as he ran up from behind Nana, “It’s like a sea of flames.”

“10 marine battleships…,” Nana stated with furrowed eyebrows, “With thirty 18-pounders, about a dozen 24-pounders, five 32-pounders...and at least three 42-pounders…”

“Eep! How do you know that?!” Usopp screeched.

“You just have to always keep an ear open,” Nana said softly and tapped her ear but she didn’t take her eyes off of the island. _Paulie...Lulu...Tilestone..._

Suddenly, she felt Franky’s hand on her shoulder and he gave her a squeeze. She knew he was worried as well about his underlings. Franky took a deep breath and turned to Zoro. “It seems they were ordered to attack but to also keep Nico Robin remained alive. They haven’t been firing at this bridge.”

“If they were trying to keep her alive that means they'll come back for her,” Zoro grunted.

“After Enies Lobby's completely destroyed, they'll probably come fight to get Nico Robin back,” Franky replied.

“That's bad! We're already all beaten up and those ships are bound to have all sorts of strong guys on board!” Usopp screeched, “Where's Luffy?!”

Nana pointed at a smoking tower near the front of the bridge. “That dust over there...that’s not from cannons.”

“His opponent is that kid named Rob Lucci so their fight isn’t over yet,” Franky surmised.

“That's not too far we should go help,” Usopp started to say and Nana took a step forward too.

“Don't,” Zoro said. Usopp and Nana froze in their tracks, “The pigeon guy's not normal. If you get caught up in that, who knows what'll happen. We don't know when that fleet of battleships will come this way and we don't wanna lose our way out of here.”

Nana gulped and looked at Zoro. “So we'll wait for Luffy here,” he growled and nodded firmly, “That’s all we need to do.”

They stood and stared at the flames silently. Nana clenched her fists tightly to her side. She forced herself to picture the moments when Paulie, Tilestone, and Lulu kicked ass on the docks to remind her of their strength and resilience. _They’ll survive this. They must survive this._

“Franky...Nana-chan...Your nakamas..” Sanji’s voice appeared from behind them and Nana stiffened. Instantly, Franky squeezed her shoulder again and he grinned down at her before turning to Sanji.

“You damn idiot,” he laughed a little too forcefully, “They’ve got the luck of the devil. They’re fine. I’m sure they’ve escaped okay! And don’t underestimate the shipwrights of Galley-La, right Nana-chan?!”

Nana put her hand over Franky’s and gave it a squeeze back. “Yes,” she said with as much confidence as she could muster, “They’ll be fine.”

Sanji smoked his cigarette and looked at how tightly the angel was holding onto the cyborg’s hand. Her knuckles were white and her fingers dug into his skin. Sanji couldn’t help but think about the fact that even if Luffy came back, each of them would have to take down a ship in order to escape. He knew it would only be hurting the angel and cause her to worry more if he voiced this thought so he remained silent.

“Guys! The ship is ready. We can leave anytime! As soon as Luffy comes out we'll go!” Nami called from behind.

“Thank you, Nami-san!” Sanji called back solemnly, not taking his eyes off of the back of Nana-chan’s head. He took a step towards and reached a hand out to comfort her.

“Report from the main north-western gate!” someone shouted from the island’s speaker system. Sanji froze with his hand in mid-air.

“All Enies Lobby marines and agents have been collected. We have also located the pirates around 50 total in the middle of escaping at the main gate!”

“That's Zambai and the others! See didn't I tell you? They’re going to get out of this island safely!” Franky forcefully laughed, “No need to worry 'bout them! Even if you kill 'em those bastards won't die! Right, Nana-brat?”

“After our attack nothing remains,” the marine reported, “The pirates at the main gate have all died. In the island's current state survival, is impossible. Amount of survivors in Enies Lobby...Zero.”

Nana’s legs gave out and Sanji caught her by the arms at the last second. Her face was as white as a sheet and her whole body was limp. She didn’t move, speak, or even blink. “Nana-chan!” Sanji yelled but she was unresponsive and stared right through him.

“Paulie…” she said faintly, “Lulu...Tilestone…?”

“This is a report from ship two,” the speaker continued, “From the south-eastern courthouse and Tower of Justice As well as the underground tunnel connecting to the bridge Everything is destroyed. The only target remaining is the Bridge of Hesitation.”

Nana stared catatonically at the island. Her mind had completely shut down.

“HURRY UP! STRAW HAT!” Franky screamed violently towards the smoke. He stamped further into the bridge and he clenched his fists, “YOUR NAKAMA IS WAITING FOR YOU HERE! Don’t you dare die on us!”

“Franky.” Nana managed to breathe out. She finally blinked and tears fell down her eyes. She got up to her feet and started to walk towards the cyborg.

“Nana-chan!” Sanji called after, unsure of what she wanted to do.

Suddenly, her whole body tensed up and she took a fearful step towards the bridge. “Oh shit,” she whispered.

_Boom!_

A cannonball hit the first part of the bridge right above the column where Luffy was. It collapsed into the sea below, cutting off the path for the Straw Hat to get to them.

“They destroyed half the bridge?!” Sanji asked incredulously.

“Why would they do that?!” Usopp gasped.

“Ow! They’ve cut us off from the Straw Hat!”

A dark shadow fell over the group as battleships started to sail past them, flanking the sides of the bridge and blocking off the dock.

“All ships take battle formation around the Bridge of Hesitation. On the bridge and the escort ship, we've identified ten pirates including ‘Pirate hunter Zoro’ and Nico Robin! It appears they are the main force that defeated CP9 in the Tower of Law.”

“They’re coming to take Robin away,” Zoro muttered as the ships anchored just a few feet away from them.

Anger, frustration, anxiety, grief...Waves of emotions crashed over Nana to the point that she heard and felt nothing except the overwhelming sense that her back was against the wall.

“Oy...Franky,” Nana growled lowly.

“Yah?”

“When you built yourself back,” Nana said, “You probably researched the human body, right?”

“Why are you asking this now?!” Franky asked and he looked down in time to see Nana turn a dial at the base of her glove, at the wrist. He lifted his sunglasses to get a better look.

“Just wanted to see how much you knew about the human heart...” Nana replied.

His eyes widened as he realized what she was saying. “Don’t tell me…”

“Nana-chan, what are you about to do?” Sanji asked.

Nana grabbed her hammer and held it firmly in her hands. Her hammer started to shake violently. “Fight.”

“Hey! Look over there!” Usopp shouted, interrupting Sanji and Franky from asking any more questions. Usopp pointed at the first column. The cannonball that broke the bridge also created a huge hole in the side of the tower, “It’s Luffy-kun with the pigeon guy!”

Nana’s eyes widened when she spotted Luffy and a huge leopard man in front of him. _Is that really Lucci?!_

“Luffy-kun! We’re here!” Usopp screamed.

“Everyone got to the bridge safely! We're all fine!” Franky reported.

“There's no need to worry about us, Luffy-kun!” Usopp called.

“We saved Robin-chan too!” Sanji added.

“All that’s left is to defeat him,” Franky shouted.

“Defeat him Luffy!” Zoro yelled.

“We’ll all make it out together..." Usopp shouted.

“And leave this place!!!” Sanji finished.

There was a moment of silence and then Nana walked to the front of the group. She sucked in a breath and then pulled out her megaphone from her bag. “LUCCI!!!!!!!”

She waited for the leopard man to look over at her before puffing up her chest again. “FUCKKKKKKKKKK YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!”

She grabbed Kabuto out of Usopp’s hands and fitted a large brass cog into it. She pulled it back and it shot high above Lucci’s head. He sneered at her lousy shot. Suddenly, Hattori plummeted down on the ground by his feet.

Nana quietly handed Kabuto back to a stunned Usopp and picked up her megaphone again. “...AND YOUR STUPID BIRD TOO!!!”

“I thought...you said you weren’t good at a slingshot…” Usopp said.

  
Nana kept her glare at Lucci. “I wasn’t as good as _you_ , Sogeking-sama.”


	21. Enough

**** The marines meant business and weren’t fooling around. They sent over two hundred of their Captains and Commanders out to attack the Straw Hats on the bridge and on the dock. Warships lined along the bridge with more waiting in the distance. The Lieutenants and marines of lower status stayed behind to man their warships. It was clear they wanted to swiftly take out the pirates. It was just a shame that their targets weren’t so cooperative.

“Sunflower Star!” the sniper king cried as he slingshotted explosives towards the marines.

“Weapons Left!” Franky shouted as bullets flew out of his left arm.

“Whirl of Pain!” Nana yelled as she swung her red hot hammer around in circles.

Zoro leapt into the air and sliced through a group of marines that had jumped off their ship towards them. “Where the hell did that shitty cook go?!”

_ Boom! _

An arm-held cannon was fired towards Franky and Nana quickly swung her hammer to bat the cannonball back towards the marine that shot it. The cannonball hit its target and sent him flying backwards. Nana looked around and realized that Zoro was right. Sanji was no longer with the group.

“He must’ve left right before the fight started,” Usopp observed just as a marine came after him with a sword.

Out of the corner of her eye, Nana saw that a mini-cannon was aimed at Franky. Nana put her hammer on her back and raised her hand. “I’ll take that,” she said with a grin and the cannon shot out the marine’s hold and into Nana’s arms. 

“Nana-brat,” Franky warned, “Don’t overuse the magnetic-”

“I know,” Nana said as she patted the cannon, before turning the dial slightly on her wrist. She lifted the cannon onto her shoulders and fired it at the incoming marines, “I got this.”

The sound of thunder drew Nana’s attention towards the escape ship and she was alarmed to see a ball of yellow electricity coming from the metal weapon in Nami’s hands. “What is that?!”

“That’s Nami’s Clima Tact,” Zoro grunted as he fought off the marine, “Usopp made it for her. It can make weather or something.”

“Whoa...” Nana marvelled. Franky elbowed her gently in the back.

“Ow! Nana-brat, now is not the time to be impressed!”

“Right,” Nana mumbled and shot her cannon at another group of marines, “Where is Sogeking-sama anyways?” 

She turned and was surprised to see the sniper standing at the edge of the bridge, watching Luffy. He had his mask off and he was holding onto it tightly. “LUFFY!” he screamed, “LUFFY!!!”

A group of marines started to run towards him and Nana quickly shot at them with her cannon before they could get close. She darted forward and guarded his back. “Usopp-sama, you shouldn’t just stand here,” she warned.

“Luffy, get up!!!” Usopp cried, not listening to Nana at all.

The sounds of thunderous footsteps took Nana’s attention away from the sniper and she saw that fifty or so marines were running towards them. She aimed her cannon and then her eyes widened when she realized she was out of ammo. She threw the cannon high up into the air, grabbed her hammer, and swiftly batted it towards the group of marines. It knocked a handful of marines to the ground. She pressed a button on the handle to activate the buzz saw but nothing happened.

“Shit! I’m out of cola,” she muttered. 

The marine at the front of the group overheard her and he grinned. “Looks like you’re pretty helpless.” 

Nana felt her temper flare. She leapt into the air at full force and swung the hammer hard into the marine’s stomach. It sent him flying back and knocked out a few more marines. 

“Who the fuck are you calling helpless?!” she demanded as she ran through the group, smashing them left and right. Her hammer was going crazy and Nana did not hold back. She knocked them in the stomach, in the groin, and even in the face.

Suddenly, a gleam of Zoro’s swords caught her eye. He launched into the air and brought his sword down on a man with a white veil across his nose and mouth. The man caught the blade with his bare hands. The blade started to rust and disintegrate into a pile of dust. “What the-” Zoro gasped.

“I ate the Rust Rust Fruit,” the veiled man declared as he reached out to grab another one of Zoro’s swords, “I’m a rust man...You can’t defeat me.”

“Usopp-sama!” Nana shouted as she threw one of the Sea Prism Stone handcuffs at Usopp. He caught it and then let out a little scream when he realized what it was. 

“You’re proud swords are useless against me,” the man said as he reached for Zoro’s sword. Zoro quickly shifted over so that the man grabbed his elbow instead. To the swordsman’s horror, his elbow started to rust and it started to reach up his arm.

“I...I can’t move,” Zoro gasped.

“Redemption star!” Usopp cried as he shot out the Sea Prism Stone cuffs. It latched onto the rust man and to Zoro, “Success!”

“Success?!” Zoro snapped as the rust man fell to his knees, “How is this a success? Why am I always the one getting cuffed?!”

Nana ran over and knocked the rust man with her hammer before fitting the #2 key back into the handcuffs to free Zoro. She confiscated the key and cuffs back to her bag. “To be fair...it got who he intended to get.” 

_ BOOM!!! _

A huge explosion came from the front column and they all stopped to look at the source. The column was utterly destroyed and Nana could not see past the smoke and debris.

“LUFFY!” Usopp cried.

“Luffy!” Robin gasped.

“T-T-This is a report to all ships,” came a voice through the speakers, “This is a report to all ships! Rob Lucci of CP9 has just…has just..has just been defeated by the pirate ‘Straw Hat’ Luffy!”

Everyone stopped in their tracks and everything fell into a stunned silence.

“WE’RE GOING BACK TOGETHER…” Luffy cry pierced through the air, “....ROBIN!!!”

Robin’s eyes filled with tears and she smiled with so much hope and relief that Nana couldn’t help but get choked up herself.

“Luffy won!!!” Usopp exclaimed with his fists pumping the air.

“About damn time!” Nana barked back.

“Get on the escape ship! We need to set sail!” Nami called out to everyone.

“YEEESSS!!!” a roaring cheer came through the speakers, “You did it, Straw Hat!”

Franky and Nana froze at the sound of the familiar voice.

“Y-Y-You morons!” Paulie’s voice interrupted, “They can hear us!”

“That’s okay. We need to let them know we’re okay!” the first voice that was clearly Zambai’s shouted.

“Idiots! They’re all idiots!” Nana choked with relief as tears flooded out of her eyes. She covered her hands with her face.

“What? Who are those voices?” Zoro asked, looking around in confusion.

“BROOOOOOOOOO!!!” Zambai screamed through the speakers.

“Stop it! If we had just taken off, the government would’ve considered us dead!” Paulie interrupted sternly.

“But then Nana-chan would think we were dead too and then she’d be upset,” came Lulu’s gentle voice and Nana let out a snort behind her hands.

“Idiot. She’d know when she sees us later, wouldn’t she?!” Paulie snapped.

“AHHHH!” Tilestone roared, “BUT THEN SHE’D HAVE TO SAIL ALL THIS WAY BACK THINKING WE WERE DEAD. SHE WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO ENJOY HER TRIP!”

“It’s not like she’s on vacation!” Paulie yelled.

“NANA-CHAN!!! WE’RE OKAY!” Tilestone roared.

“Shut up, you idiot!” Paulie exclaimed.

Nana was a mess and she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She wished they were there with her so she could either cuss them out or just knock their heads together. She peaked over her hands and saw that Franky wasn’t faring much better.

“Bro!!!” one of the twins shouted, “We’re all okay!!!”

“Sodom and Gomorrah are okay too!” the other twin reported.

“Anyway...we have a means to escape, so don’t worry about us!” Zambai yelled, “We’ll see you after we make it out of here alive!”

“You guys…” Frankie wept, “You guys!!! I wasn’t worried at all about you guys!  You dummies! Those idiots are alive! I’m glad...I’m so glad!”

“Yes, we’re all relieved,” Zoro grunted, “But there’s no point if we die right here, right?”

“Yeah...you’re right,” Franky blubbered, without even trying to hold back anything while Nana  tried her hardest to regain her composure.

The marines had gotten over the shock of the interrupted transmission and had started to raise their weapons. They were about to strike when another speaker announcement made everyone pause.

“The pirate ‘Straw Hat’ Luffy Appears to be heavily wounded! He still hasn't moved from that spot!”

Usopp scrambled over to the ledge. “Oy! Luffy! What're you doing?! Hurry up and get your butt over here! We have to run or we won't survive!”

Luffy panted heavily but he could not even respond back to his friend.

“What’s the matter with you?!” Usopp screamed, “We’re almost there!!! Use your Gum-Gum to shoot over here! Once you’re here. I’ll carry you. We're surrounded by the sea and a bunch of battleships. If we stay here, we’ll be killed! Luffy!!!”

“I...I can’t…” Luffy grunted, “I..I can’t move.”

“What do you mean?!” Usopp yelled, “Don't be stupid! Didn't you defeat your enemy?! And we already saved Robin! Now all we have to do is run! Please just try your best!”

“Usopp!” Nami shouted, “Let’s just take the ship to the column where Luffy is and-”

Nana’s head jerked towards the ship as the sudden sound of heavy cannon fire screamed into her ear.  “SHITTTTT!” Nana yelled as she frantically ran towards the ship.

_ BOOOM! _

Their escape ship burst into flames as multiple cannonballs hit it from all sides.

“No!” Nami gasped, “Our escape ship is…”

“Chopper and the others were still on it!” Usopp screeched.

“PYGMY!” Nana screamed as she ran towards the ship, “GRANNY! CHIM-”

“Stop, Nana-brat! You’ll just get yourself killed,” Franky called as he grabbed her by the arm to hold her back. He stared at the flames. “Crap. That was our only way out.”

Nana watched the ship break into dark ash as the sounds of cascading cannonballs emitted behind her. She covered her ears and squeezed her eyes shut. The sound of cannon fire was something she usually enjoyed. They were the sounds of hope and the future to her but now all she can hear was death and destruction. 

“We have no ship,” Usopp wailed, “What are we going to do? We’re completely helpless now!”

Nana’s head snapped up and a glazed look came over her eyes. The government had went after Iceberg, Franky, Paulie, Tilestone, Lulu, and now Pygmy. Even their escape ship, their last shred of hope, was blown up to bits just seconds when they thought they had caught a break. It was too much and rage took over her body. Franky’s eyes bugged out when he saw that Nana was reaching for the dial on her wrist. She turned it one full rotation clockwise. “What are you doing?!” the cyborg demanded.

“I’ve...had enough _ , _ ” Nana seethed. She ran towards the very edge of the bridge, where she grabbed Usopp by the shoulder and flung him backwards at Zoro. She stood at the very edge, far away from the Straw Hats, and raised her arm into the air. Her whole arm was shaking furiously but the rest of her body was stoic and she glared up at her hand. 

“Ow! Nana-brat, stop! You’re going to-” Franky yelled.

“NANA SPECIAL!” she thundered, “METAL PLANET!”

A roaring sound of metal moving and creaking roared through the bridge like a violent storm. The vibrations and pressure from the sound made everyone cover their ears. The iron and steel that wrapped around the battleships deformed and bent closer to Nana. Franky, himself, was getting pulled towards her at an accelerating pace.

“WHOAHHH!” Franky cried and he grabbed onto the floor to stop himself from getting flying off. Zoro’s swords looked like they were stuck in midair with the swordsman holding onto the hilts. Nami and Usopp both clung onto their weapons while Robin used her many hands to hold them back.

“TURN IT OFF!” Franky yelled, “Nana-brat! TURN IT OFF!” 

The cannons on the warships closest to the bridge burst through the walls and crashed into the sea. Guns, swords, and cannonballs flew out into the air as well and they started to orbit around Nana. The whole front of the two ships closest to Nana ripped off, exposing the marines on the lower deck. Nana fell to her knees, with her hand still above her head.

Nami’s eyes widened when she saw the metal objects swirl and orbit around Nana. “Her glove! The magnet!!!”

“Somebody stop her!” Franky cried as he clung to a stone pillar. He was waving in the air like a human flag, “That glove...manipulates magnetic fields and if it gets super high enough, it can interfere with your heart and your brain if you get too close! It’s going to kill the brat if she keeps going!”

“What?!” the Straw Hats gasped.

“Shoot her down!” one of the captains called and the marines raised their weapons but their guns quickly flew out of their hands and towards Nana.

Nana gasped as blood came out of her mouth and she panted heavily. Her heart was beating out of control and at times it was even skipping beats. She pounded her chest with her other fist to keep her heart going. Her eyesight was going in and out but she gritted her teeth. The only thought she had in her head was to teach those marines a fucking lesson. 

“Don’t...,” she roared as loudly as she could, “FUCK with me and my family!!!” 

“I can’t move,” Usopp cried as he struggled to pull Kabuto back from him. The loose metal objects had now formed a makeshift bubble around Nana and they could barely see her as cannons, metal ship pieces, and weapons encased around her, like a spinning metal shell.

“I...I can’t make any more arms,”  Robin stressed as she kept her arms crossed in front of her and fought to hold Nami and Usopp still.

“We need to find a way to turn the dial around her wrist. Just turn it counterclockwise and it’ll negate the force,” Franky shouted. He was now waving in the air like a flag as he gripped a stone pillar for support, “Turn it clockwise and you’ll give it too much power and her heart might explode.” 

“WHAT A SCARY THING TO WEAR!” Usopp screeched.

“Nana Special…” Nana breathed and then turned her dial counterclockwise two full turns, “Big Bang.”

Suddenly, there was an eerie silence and the metal shell around Nana stopped spinning. Then, every piece burst forth at a breakneck speed and Franky was pushed back the other way.

The metal pieces shot in every direction, blasting through the Tower of Law, puncturing the battleships around them, and hitting the base of the bridge. The six battleships nearest to Nana resembled swiss cheese and soon they started to sink.

“What the-?” Zoro shouted as he sliced an incoming cannon that was repelled towards him.

“AHHH, DUCK!” Usopp cried as he and Nami hit the floor. Hundreds of swords and guns flew past their heads.  A string of cannonballs came sailing forward towards the sniper and the navigator. “AHHHHHHHHH! We’re going to die!”

“NAMI-SWAN!!! I’m coming!!!” 

_ Thud! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!  _

Usopp lifted his head up from the ground and gasped when he saw Sanji standing in front of them, smoking a cigarette. Without even missing a beat, he had dropped Chopper, Pygmy, Granny Kokoro, and Gonbe by Usopp and Nami and kicked away the cannonballs.  He took a deep drag and narrowed his eyes at Nana, who had collapsed on the ground as the pieces of her planet continued to shoot out.

“SANJI!!!” Usopp cried with relief.

“Nami-san, are you okay?” he asked without looking away from the fracturing metal sphere.

“En, thank you, Sanji-kun,” Nami answered.

“Where the hell have you been?!” Zoro barked.

Without another word, Sanji sprinted towards the angel.

“Oy! Since the pieces went the other way, you’ll need to turn it-,”  Franky called after him.

“I know!” Sanji snarled as he avoided some incoming swords.

“But if you turn it too much-”

“Her heart will explode! I heard you!” Sanji snapped as he got to her side and he lifted her to his lap. Just by being so close to the magnetic field, Sanji could feel the effects on his own heart and his blood pressure was beginning to rise. He was even having trouble focusing and he had only been in the middle of it for a second. 

“What are you doing to your heart, Nana-chan?” he asked as he held up her wrist.

“Turn it twice clockwise!” Franky shouted.

“No! Twice counterclockwise,” Usopp corrected.

“No, turn it up once!” Zoro yelled.

“Shut up, you idiots!” Sanji shot back, “And that doesn’t even make sense, you shitty morimo!” 

He turned the dial clockwise one full turn. Immediately, his heart was beating normally and the metal pieces around them dropped into the sea below. He pressed his ear against Nana’s heart and he was relieved to hear it’s light beating. 

“Oy, Prince Charming,” Nana growled lowly with her eyes closed but with one of her eyebrows raised just slightly, “I thought I said not to help me unless I actually asked for it.”  

Sanji’s head lifted up and he looked solemnly back at her. He rubbed his thumb over her bottom lip to wipe off the blood. “I wasn’t helping you, Nana-chan. I was helping the others.”

“That better be true,” Nana muttered before passing out, “I’m no damsel in distress.”

* * *

On a warship in the distance, Vice Admiral Momonga narrowed his eyes as he lowered the binoculars from his face. “Get me a snail,” he ordered without taking his focus away from the bridge, “Get me Vegapunk.”

The marine beside him started to sweat with anxiety. “B-B-B-But we’re not allowed to disturb him unless there’s an emergency.”

Momonga glared at the marine. “Idiot! Can’t you see that this is an emergency? That girl is not a Devil Fruit user and yet she just took down our first wave of attack in a single blow with that weapon of hers. Get Vegapunk on the phone now!” 

“How do you know she’s not a Devil Fruit power holder, sir?” the marine asked while pulling out a transponder snail.

"Because," Momonga grunted, "There's already news of someone with that power from the South Blue and it's definitely not her." He took the transponder snail from the marine's hands and he turned his attention back to the bridge. "Whatever that girl has...it's man made and nothing like what Vegapunk has come up with yet. We need to get our hands on it."


	22. Franky's Request

**** Franky leaned against the railing of the Going Merry and watched as Granny Kokoro placed him on the mast head, shaped like a sheep. “There you go,” the old hag said, “Be careful not to fall.”

“Ah. Thanks, monster granny,” Luffy replied with his arms and legs splayed out. Then he turned to stare down into the sheep’s painted eyes, “And thank you, Merry. Thanks to you, we were able to escape. I never thought that you’d come, Merry...but when I think about it, you’ve always protected us. I’m so glad that you’re our nakama. Thanks, Merry!”

They had escaped Enies Lobby by the skin of their teeth. The Nana-brat’s rampage had taken out three of the marine’s battleships and the marines were about to retaliate when this little caravel came out of nowhere. It was nothing short of a miracle and Franky was fully aware of it.

“At any rate,” Franky sighed as he ran his hand through his tall hair, “You guys sure did pull one outrageous stunt back there. To start with, to think that you shot through the World Government’s flag…”

Luffy flopped onto his back and stared up at the sky. “Well, it’s no big deal...All we did was take back a friend, who was taken away from us,” Luffy said. He lifted his head and grinned at Franky, “Thanks for helping us save Robin. When Nana wakes up, I’ll thank her too.”

Franky rubbed the back of his head. “Ow! To me, it’s no big deal as well,” he scoffed, “And as for the Nana-brat...well…”

He cleared his throat and looked solemnly at Luffy, “I know I’m not in a position to ask for any favors...Especially after what my underlings did to your Long Nose friend...but I’m asking on behalf of the brat…”

“Nana-chan?” Sanji asked and he shot a look at the door to Nami and Robin’s room. Nana was resting there while Chopper gave her a full check-up, “What about her?”

“I’m asking you to take her with you, Straw Hat,” Franky said sincerely, “Have her super join your pirate crew.”

“Okay,” Luffy said as he yawned and stretched.

His nakama all fell to the floor except Sanji, who jumped and cheered. 

“Think about it before you say yes, you idiot!” Nami and Zoro seethed at their captain.

“As much as I like her, I don’t think she’d want to join...And I don’t think she’d appreciate you making that decision for her,” Nami said to Franky.

“Ah! Nana-swwwwan is so sexy and considerate!!!” Sanji cooed from behind.

“Oy, love cook, choose a side to this argument!,” Zoro snapped.

“Yes, but her dream can’t be achieved unless she leaves Water 7,” Franky replied to Nami, ignoring the two bickering men, “She probably doesn’t even realize it herself. You’re right though, Nee-chan. She will probably put up a fight if you ask her to come.”

“Then why should we?!” Zoro demanded.

“Because the Government is already going to associate her with you guys...with pirates,” Franky said, “Me? I already work in the underworld so dealing with marines is nothing to me...but now that they’ve seen Nana fight alongside you guys and they know her name...she can’t go back to her normal life anymore...especially with that foolish stunt she just pulled.” 

There was a tense pause as the Straw Hats realized that Franky had a valid point.

“Luffy...I mean I have no problems with her joining but you should really-”  Zoro started to say. 

They all turned to Luffy and then everyone’s jaws dropped to the floor when their eyes fell on the snoring rubber man. “HE’S ASLEEP?!?!” 

Chopper came out of the girl’s room at that moment and he looked around the deck. “What’s going on?”

“How’s Nana-chan?” Sanji asked immediately.

Chopper looked solemnly at the crew. “She’s fine. She just needs to rest. She’ll probably be out for the next couple of days. I also bandaged her arm up.” 

Nami put her hands on her hips. “Is it going to scar?” she shot a pointed look at Franky, “I don’t know why you told Chopper that he didn’t have to worry about that. A girl’s skin is-”

“Franky was right,” Chopper said with a deep sigh, “It doesn’t matter if it leaves a scar on Nana.”

The Straw Hats looked curiously at the reindeer and he looked over at Franky. “Can you explain to everyone? Because I kind of want to know myself.”

Franky grinned and folded his arms across his chest. “You don’t become the number one weaponsmith and mechanic overnight. The brat’s whole body is covered in scars. It’s been that way ever since she started making cannons. She’s been shot at, shot out of...hell, there’s this one time one actually fell on her…”

Usopp gaped at him. “You sound like that’s something to be proud of! That’s so scary!”

Franky shrugged. “Why else do you think everyone else calls her Nana- _ san _ ? The brat worked hard to get where she is and everyone knows it. She doesn’t even mind the scars herself.”

“Then why cover them up?” Nami huffed, “Seriously. You men are so insensitive. Any girl would feel a little self-conscious about her body.”

“She’s not covering her  _ scars _ ,” Franky explained, “She’s covering her skin. She works near a furnace with embers flying everywhere. Just because she doesn’t mind her scars doesn’t mean she’s out looking for ways to get new ones...and don’t think of the brat as a girl. No one else does. She doesn’t even see herself that way. Believe me. I’m her Big Bro. I know her best.”

* * *

 

“Oy! Oy! Oy! Oy! Usopp! Where are you, Usopp?!” 

Nana’s eyes snapped open as the rubber man’s cries got louder. She looked up at an unfamiliar ceiling with unfamiliar wooden walls. She tried to sit up to see where she was but was surprised to find that she didn’t have much strength for it. It wasn’t until she felt her body sway did she realize she was on a ship.

“OYYYY! USOPP!!!” Luffy shouted again.

“Where are you, Usopp?” Chopper called out too.

She was lying on a bed. She knew that for sure. The distinct texture of sheets under her and the feeling of a soft pillow beneath her head told her so. Nana turned her neck so that she could look to her side and saw Pygmy panting back at her. He licked her nose and then she gingerly did the same. “You’re alive…,” she whispered as tears started to come up, “Thank god.”

The door right behind Pygmy opened and Luffy burst through while still riding on top of Chopper’s shoulders. “Usopp? Are you in here?”

Suddenly, Luffy was kicked to the ground and Nana saw Sanji snarling behind him with his foot in the air. “IDIOT! Nana-chan is sleeping!” Sanji scolded and then their eyes met. A smile crept over his face and he rushed towards her, knocking over Chopper along his way. “Nana-chwaaaaan!!!”   
  


“Nana is awake!” Chopper cheered from the floor, “But...I didn’t expect you to wake up this soon.”

“Don’t underestimate the stamina of Galley-La’s #1 mechanic,” Nana smirked, “If you think this takes a toll on the body, you’ve obviously never done a two day rush order with only a team of five during flu season.” 

Sanji walked over to her bedside and took her leather gloved hands into his. “Nana-chwan, you’ve been sleeping for a whole day now,” he cooed, “Are you hungry? I’ll make you some energizing food that will also-”

_ Thwack! _

Franky’s heavy palm slapped Sanji to the side. The cyborg pulled up a stool and sat down solemnly in front of Nana. He put her messenger bag on his lap, opened it, and rummaged through it. Sanji rubbed the side of his head and he glared at Franky as he got to his feet, “Oy! What the hell do you think you’re doing, Franky?”

“Franky, I-” Nana started to say but then stopped when Franky held up her metal glove.

“This...was a failed prototype,” Franky said sternly, “The control was way off, the magnetic field was unstable, and most importantly, the user did not fully grasp the gravity of it’s use. I deem it unworkable.” 

He crushed it with his bare fist and threw the broken pieces back into the messenger bag.

“What are you doing?!” Nana screamed, “That’s my-”

“Start over, Nana-brat,” Franky replied, “You can do better.” Nana glared furiously back at him and Franky lifted his sunglasses off so he can look directly at her. “You could’ve super killed someone, Nana-brat! Or worse! You could’ve killed yourself.”  

Nana reacted as if he had just slapped her in the face. She looked at him indignantly but then her eyes filled with shame. He was right.

“You need to not only have better control of this weapon but also of your own temper,” Franky scolded, “So start over and figure out a way that you can fully control the magnetic fields the way you want it to.”

Nana was silent and she took a deep breath. Finally, she nodded. “Okay,” she grunted.

Franky grinned, knowing that was the closest thing to an apology he’d ever get, and stuck his arms underneath her body. He lifted her up from the bed and carried her out the door. “Atta girl,” he said as he took her out onto the deck, “Now you should come say ‘thank you’ to the ship that saved our lives.”

A gentle sea breeze blew in Nana’s face as Franky carried her across the deck. The Straw Hats, Granny Kokoro, and even Chimney shouted and grinned at her when she walked past. 

“What ship is this?” Nana asked as Franky set her down on top of the masthead. Luffy came bounding over.

“Nana, you’re in my seat!!!” he accused.

“Don’t be so childish!” Nami roared as she flung her fist at the rubber man, “You’re the captain of this ship, for god’s sake. Act more generous!”

Luffy crossed his arms and pouted.  _ “ _ Welcome to my ship, the Going Merry,” he mumbled disgruntledly. 

Nana gasped, recognizing the name.. “This is the Going Merry? How...how did we get on it?” 

Franky grinned at her. “She sailed to us just as the marines were about to unload the rest of their cannons, the ones you didn’t take out.”

“Who sailed her?”

“No one,” Franky said, “There’s no one on this ship besides us.”

“...Klabautermann?” Nana asked in a whisper. 

Franky nodded. “I think so.” 

Nana ran her hands gently along the mast head. “Thank you...Merry…,” she breathed, “Thank you...”

Sanji took a deep drag of his cigarette as he walked out of Nami-san’s room and watched the angel thank Merry. There was something so serene about that scene that Sanji just wanted to just keep this memory locked in his brain forever. Then the angel was looking over at him and when their eyes met, his heart skipped a beat. Sanji could’ve sworn it was the same effect as being near her magnetic glove. 

“Yosh!!! It’s time to celebrate now! Robin-chwan is back, Nana-chwan is awake, and Nami-swan is as beautiful as always!” Sanji cheered as he turned towards his kitchen, “I’ll go make you three ladies some delicious treats now!’

“Wait! Why are the treats only for them?!” Usopp shouted indignantly from behind his mask.

“How is Nami’s looks worth celebrating?!” Zoro asked incredulously.

_ Thwack! _

“Why  _ isn’t  _ it worth celebrating?” Nami huffed back as Zoro rubbed the lump in his head from her fist, “God! No one here has any manners at all.” 

Sanji grinned like a fool as he headed into his kitchen. Yes, all three of those lovely ladies are all safe and sound...and more importantly, looking as sexy as ever and in his presence. What a happy day it is. Now, if only he could find a way to get rid of the other men.

“Ah! Nana, now that you’re awake. Can you get Pygmy to help find Usopp?” Luffy asked as he squatted down to be eye level to Nana’s pet, “We saw him at Enies Lobby but then when we got on the ship, he was nowhere to be found.”  

She turned her head towards Usopp, who was wearing his Sogeking mask and hidden behind some barrels. “But...isn’t that- ” she started to say but then Franky carried her away. 

“Sorry, Straw Hat. You’re going to have to find him yourself,” he called back.

“USOPP!!!” Luffy screamed as he leapt to his feet and started to run around the deck.

Franky carried Nana around the ship so she could see more of it. It was clear that the ship had seen its fair share of adventure but it also had the markings of a ship that had received a lot of special attention. Then her head tilted to the side. Some of that attention looked oddly familiar to her. 

“Oy, Franky,” she said and pointed at a metal rod that was hammered into the railing for reinforcement, “Can you get closer to that? I want to see something.”

“I am super not your horse,” Franky grumbled but went over to it anyways as he was curious what was it that the brat spotted.

“Look! A ship is coming!” Luffy interrupted. Both Franky and Nana turned to see that he was pointed out towards the sea ,where a ship was heading their way.

A giant smile spread across Nana’s face. “Hey! It’s the Galley-La ship!” 

Nana waved excitedly at the ship and soon they were close enough for everyone to see the passengers on each ship. The shipwrights of Galley-La were all cheering and waving back at them except Iceberg, who surveyed the deck solemnly.

“Ahoy! Ice pops!” Luffy shouted.

“Bakaberg,” Franky grunted.

“ICY!!!” Nana shouted.

He finally let loose a smile when his spotted Nana, Franky, and Pygmy. His ward grinned back at him and then suddenly, the floor below them sloped down and Franky almost dropped Nana into the water. 

“Ah!” Nana cried and clung onto the cyborg’s neck. “What the hell?!”

The front part of the Going Merry had broken off and the front mass was slumping dangerously close to the sea.

“What just happened?!” Zoro growled.

“Is everyone okay?” Sanji shouted as he ran out of his kitchen, which was on the other half of the broken ship, “If I call your names, say ‘Ay!” to let me know you’re okay. Nami-swan!”

“Ay!”

“Robin-chwan?”

“Ay, Cook-san.”

“Nana-chwan?!”

“Ay!”

“Okay...whew…Now then-”

“WHY AREN’T YOU CALLING ANYONE ELSE’S NAME?!” Usopp and Chopper seethed.

Franky walked closer to the break and Nana could see right down to the bottom of the ship. Her eyes widened at the extent of the damage. “You see it too, right, Nana-brat?” 

Nana nodded and she gulped. This ship shouldn’t even have made it five minutes out of the docks let alone survive Enies Lobby.

Luffy ran to the front of the ship. “Pops! This is bad! The Merry needs to be fixed! You guys...this is good timing! You guys are are all shipwrights, right?! I’m begging you! Please do something! She’s our friend who has been traveling with us all this time...and just a bit ago, she saved us! So please, pops!”

Nana balled up the collar of Franky’s shirt in her fists and she looked up at Iceberg. Her breath caught in her chest. 

“Then...let her rest now,” Iceberg replied slowly, “I’ve already done everything I could…”

Nana’s eyes widened. She knew those markings looked familiar. They were Iceberg’s handiwork after all.

“Now I’m witnessing a miracle,” Iceberg continued, “A miracle of a ship that has long passed its limits...I’ve been a shipwright for many years but I’ve never seen a pirate ship this incredible. It’s lived a splendid life.”

Luffy lowered his head and he felt the masthead underneath his palms. “...Okay…” he said softly.

* * *

 

Nana hated goodbyes. 

She had done her fair share of it at the hospital. She had went to the beds of every single passenger in that fatal shipwreck and said goodbye to everyone of them. She didn’t know which one was her family member. She didn’t know if the woman with the long hair the same color as hers was her mother. Or was it the woman who had a similar nose as her? The man with the big hands was holding onto a wrench when he was pulled out of the water. Was he her father? Maybe it was the man whose goggles matched the same material as hers...but then again there were a few of them with goggles. She couldn’t be sure so she said goodbye to them all. 

Because even if they might not’ve been related to her, they must’ve been related to somebody. That somebody would’ve wanted to be there with them during their last moments so Nana was there for every single one of them. It was a lot of death for a child to take in but she did it because she couldn’t bare seeing them die alone.

She had said goodbye to them as if each and every person was a member of her family. She paid her heartfelt respects to them and promised them that she would not take her second chance at life for granted.  So when she left the hospital, she had also said goodbye to whoever she was before then and never looked back.

The only things that remained with her since that day was her hat, her goggles, and the sadness she felt when she said goodbye.

Now she had to say it to a ship. Albeit, she had only been on it for half a day and for the most part, she was unconscious, but it was a magical ship. This ship was loved so deeply and earnestly that it only took her a short time to feel it all around her. She believed fully in the myth of Klabautermann and such an unique ship was hard to say goodbye to.

She stood silently next to Franky on one of the lifeboats Iceburg had sent to retrieve them. The rest of the Straw Hats were also on there. They all watched solemnly as Luffy approached the Going Merry on a second lifeboat with a torch in hand. As the flames started to spread up the ship, Nana could feel a tightness in her chest but she kept her attention on the ship. It deserved her full attention.

_ Sorry. _

Nana gasped and she closed her eyes so she could try to hear where the sound was coming from. It was a gentle voice that instantly warmed Nana’s heart. In fact, it sounded as if it did come from her heart.

_ I wanted to carry you even further. I’m sorry...I wanted to continue going on adventures with you all forever forever. _

Nana’s eyes snapped open when she realized it was the ship’s goodbye to her loved ones. 

_ But I- _

“It’s us who has to apologize, Merry!” Luffy cried at the ship, making Nana’s eyes fill with tears, “...I-I-I ran you into icebergs so many times...There was a time where I tore the sails too. Zoro and Sanji are stupid so they broke all sorts of things!”

Nana could hear the rubber man choking back his tears. “Usopp...would try to fix everything,” he gulped, “But he isn’t good at it...so it’s us, who have to…have to...apolo-”

_ But I’ve been happy.  _ _ Thank you very much...for taking good care of me all this time. I really have been happy... because I had you.  _

Nana’s fingers squeezed inside her palms so tightly that she could feel her nails poking into her skin. 

“MERRY!!!” Luffy screamed.

_ Yes, _ Nana thought as tears started to fall down cheeks and dribble down her chin,  _ I really hate goodbyes.  _

****


	23. Family Gatherings

It had been two days since they had returned from Enies Lobby. The city was heavily damaged by Aqua Luna and CP9. The headquarters, as well as Nana and Iceberg’s home, had to be entirely rebuilt. Nana had lost everything. Her blueprints, her tools, and all her belongings went up in flames.

Luckily, Nana lived life like an ant, following the same route and stopping at the same stores, so all the vendors she frequented knew exactly what she needed. Her tools, supplies, and even the fabric of her new clothes were coming on the next sea train. The local seamstress and leather craftsman were familiar with Nana’s designs so they had promised to get her her full wardrobe back very soon. She was even able to request an iron reinforcement embedded on the inside of her leather corset. 

Until then, she had to do with borrowed tools and donated clothes. Out of the pile given, she chose to wear a loose tank top with denim overalls as that was the item of clothing with the most pockets. Without sleeves, her toned arms and shoulders were exposed, revealing the scars that peppered over her skin. 

Chopper had given her strict orders to take it easy so Iceberg took that as an opportunity to relieve her of her duties. She didn’t have access to a workshop or even a measly anvil. She sighed in frustration and stared out the window while Franky sat on the opposite couch in Iceberg’s temporary office. They had spent the morning explaining to Iceberg everything that had happened. He was busy drawing away at his drafting desk but still listened attentively.

“So you burned the blueprints...That’s for the best,” Iceberg said solemnly as he dipped his quill into the ink bottle, “I guess you two have made enemies of the government now?”

Nana shrugged. “Couldn’t be helped.”

“Anything else I need to know?” Iceberg asked.

“Gridley D. Sylvia” was on the tip of her tongue but Nana held back. Selfishly, she wanted Iceberg to only know her as Mizu Nana. Why bother him or Franky about something this inconsequential? She shook her head. “Nothing else,” she stated.

Franky chugged down a bottle of cola and glanced lazily over at Iceberg. “So...what are those plans you’ve been drawing up?”

“Seeing the scale of the Aqua Laguna this year must have made the citizens worry,” Iceberg replied as he placed a ruler against the paper, “This island might be swallowed by the sea some time soon.”

“Well, if the Aqua Laguna continues on like this,” Franky commented, “This island might sink too…So what’re you going to do?”

“I’ll make the whole island float,” Iceberg answered as he drew a straight line.

“What?!” Nana and Franky cried at the same time.

“You’re going to turn Water 7 into a ship?!” Franky asked and he lifted his sunglasses up to see if he was hallucinating.

“Did you forget, Franky?” Iceberg asked, “We witnessed a great man who made the impossible possible for quite some time, didn’t we? ‘If you’re a man, do it resolutely’. Isn’t that what he used to say?”

“If you’re a man...do it resolutely?” Franky repeated and then he smirked at the memory of Tom-san. “I guess you’re right.”

“Tch,” Nana scoffed, “You’re both a bunch of weirdos but it’s nice to see you two getting along. Does this mean I don’t need to sneak around to find Franky anymore?”

“Not after you officially recognized me as your Big Bro,” Franky replied.

“Her what?” Iceberg asked, still working on his draft.

“She called me her bro when we were in Enies Lobby,” Franky said with a grin, “She even said you and I were her family.”

Iceberg set his quill down and turned in his chair.  “Really?” he asked Nana, giving her his full attention, “And you called Franky your Big Bro?”

“Maybe…” Nana grunted and folded her arms over her chest, “What? You want me to call you Big Bro too?”

“No,” Iceberg said.

“Then what do you want me to call you?” Nana asked.

Iceberg opened his arms out. “Papa Bear,” he said dryly.

_ Thwack! _

Nana threw Franky’s empty cola bottle right in Iceberg’s face. “BE SERIOUS!” she snapped.

_ Purupurupurupuru. _

Nana looked down at the transponder snail sitting on the coffee table. Franky picked up the receiver. “Ow! Hello?”

“Oh, is this Big Bro?” Zambai shouted from the other end of the call.

“Oh, hey Zambai! What’s up?” Franky asked.

Zambai chuckled, “Please rejoice, Big Bro! It’s finally here! It’s just arrived by sea train. The item that you purchased for 200 million bellis.” 

Franky grinned, “So it’s arrived…Thank you, Zambai! Bring it back to the house and I’ll meet you there later tonight.”

_ Catcha. _

Nana tilted her head and raised an eyebrow. “Is this what you bought with  _ Luffy’s _ 200 million bellis?”

“I’m going to go see the pirates,” Franky said, deflecting the question, “I have something I need to talk to them about and I’d very much like you to be there.” 

Nana looked at him skeptically and then turned to Iceberg. “Do you still me to stick around or can I go with Franky, Icy?”

“Papa Bear,” Icy jokingly corrected.

“Just stop!” Nana seethed.

* * *

“OW! Are you guys super?!” Franky shouted as he used his rear end to bump open the doors to the Straw Hats’ home. The Galley-La shipwrights had built them a temporary living quarters in Dock #1. Mostly to thank them for their help but also to keep them away from the public eye.

Mozu and Kiwi flanked Franky’s sides and they had their hands on their hips, their knees bent, and their butts jutted out. They all lifted their chin high and stood proud in their signature pose. Franky then broke character and scowled at Nana, who was standing as far away from them as possible. She had her hammer in her hands and her lips pursed with disapproval. 

“C’mon, Nana-brat! It’s not an entrance if we don’t all participate.”

“WHY DO WE NEED AN ENTRANCE IN THE FIRST PLACE?!’ Nana demanded.

“Ahhh! Nana-chwaannnnn!” Sanji cried as he burst past Franky to grab Nana by the hand, “Tell me! What is your favorite food? What’s your favorite type of men?” 

Nana grinned and winked at the cook. “I see food like I see men. Just something that is part of life. But if I had to pick a type, I’d say useful and reliable.” 

“Ow! Don’t make men sound like tools,” Franky scolded.

Nana laughed and she scanned the room. Nami was standing under potted tangerine trees and lovingly running her hands over its fruits. Chopper and Robin stood near her and a sleeping Luffy snored loudly at the dinner table. Granny Kokoro, Chimney, Gonbe, and Yokozuna had stopped by and they were all smiling around her. 

“Seems like we’re late to the party,” Nana quipped.

Pygmy automatically bounded towards Chopper and he barked. Chopper laughed, “Complimenting me like that won’t make me happy, you jerk!”

“What did he say?” Nana asked curiously.

“He said that I was a great doctor for treating you so well,” Chopper said.

“Geez,” Nami couldn’t help but huff as her eyes ran over Nana’s arms and shoulders, “Franky already told us about your scars but didn’t you do any type of proper skincare? A girl’s skin needs constant attention, you know?” 

“Ah, Nami-san’s skin is so smoothe and soft,” Sanji swooned from the side, “Just thinking about her helping Nana-chwan with her skin…”

The image of Nami rubbing lotion on the bare skin of the angel sent blood shooting out of Sanji’s nose and he looked dizzyingly at the two women.

“It’s fine, Nami,” Nana replied, ignoring whatever was going on with the cook, “I’m a craftsman. I don’t have time for that.” 

Robin put a finger to her chin and she gazed contemplatively at Nana. “Given the circumstances of your upbringing, it’s not too hard to believe that you’ve never had a female figure to guide you but it’s never too late. Nana-san, have you ever gone shopping before?”  

Nana raised her eyebrow at Robin. “You mean like buying stuff?”

Robin and Nami smiled at each other before turning their attention back to her. “Let’s have a girls’ day!” Nami suggested.

Sanji clasped his hands together. “Ahhh, mellorines. Let me come with you and we can all have a day of-”

“Girls only!” Nami decreed.

Nana’s eyes widened and she started to back away from the two female Straw Hats. “What the hell is a girls day?!” she demanded, “I don’t have time for that! I’ve got work to do, you know? Leave me out of it!”

Franky clamped a hand on Nana’s shoulders to stop her. “Ow! Now that the brat has brought up work, I’m here to discuss something important with you guys!” Franky interrupted. 

They all turned to look at the cyborg, who sat down cross legged on the floor. “On an island where wars happen one after another-” he began to say.

“What is all this? Don’t interrupt when something good is about to happen!” Sanji demanded.

“Shut up!” Franky snapped, “Just listen to my story.”

The people around him looked at each other in confusion before shrugging and letting the cyborg have his way. He took a deep breath. “On this island...no matter if the islanders start a war where cannonballs fall incessantly, or if everyone dies and the town turns to ruins...this huge tree would continue to stand. No matter what happens, this tree will not fall. People would come back and build a town or a country around this tree. Only a few trees like this exist in the world. The name given to the strongest of all trees is...Adam, the treasure tree.”

“A tree?” Sanji mumbled as he lifted the cigarette from his lips.

“What about the tree?” Chopper asked curiously.

Nana’s eyebrows furrowed at the name. “But ‘Adam’ doesn’t exist anymore! The last one was already cut down and made into-” 

Franky shook his head and he grinned, “There are still a few left in the world. It’s wood that appears on the black market on rare occasions. I wanted it...but it cost almost 200 million bellis so it was impossible for me to buy it…And then one day, some pirates came with a lot of money...in other words, you guys…”

“You jerk!” Sanji spat, “You’d better not have bought something like that with our money!”

“Oh shit!” Nana shouted excitedly, “Please tell me you bought it with the money, Franky.”

“WHAT?!” Nami and Chopper cried incredulously at Nana, “I thought you were on our side!” 

“JUST KEEP LISTENING!” Franky interrupted and he slammed his fists to the ground. He bowed his head and took a deep breath, “A long time ago, I promised myself I would never build a ship again...But then I realized I wanted to catch up to the person, who was my goal after all...The next thing I knew, I was drawing blueprints for a ship…”

“Franky…” Nana breathed. The look on his face was hopeful and so full of excitement and he was only talking about the blueprints of this ship. She had known him for so long as a demolition worker that she never thought of him as a shipwright. Now that she knew the full story behind Tom’s Workers, she had thought Franky might never build a ship again. 

“My dream is...to use that treasure tree to build one last ship...A dream ship that crosses any sea!” Franky declared, “I’ve already obtained the tree...and I’ve already got the blueprints too. I’m going to build this ship now. So when it’s completed...will you set sail on the ship I’ve built?!”

“What?!” the Straw Hats gasped.

“Then...a-are you going to give that ship to us?!” Sanji exclaimed.

Franky smirked, “That’s right. Nothing would make me happier than for people I like to travel on my ship. Well that and it’s kinda like you guys gave me the money for it anyways…”

“The ship that Gol D. Roger sailed on... the Oro Jackson...the only ship that completely sailed around the world safely was built using wood from the treasure tree.” Nana repeated the legend that all the shipwright’s knew in their hearts with her eyes shining with excitement.

“I swear,” Franky shouted confidently, “I’ll build an incredible ship!”

“It can’t be helped, can it? Since both you and Tom-san are craftsmen?” Granny Kokoro laughed.

“Now...I can understand the feeling of pride Tom-san had when he died,” Franky grinned.

“All right!!!” the Straw Hats cheered.

“Congratulations! Your ship is going to be amazing,” Nana said as she watched Nami, Chopper, and Sanji dance around with joy.

“It’s your ship too, Nana-brat.” 

“Huh?”

Nami, Chopper, and Sanji froze and everyone in the room looked at Franky in surprise. “Franky! We were supposed to wait for Luffy to wake up to-” Nami said sternly.

“I’ve already discussed this with Bakaberg and he’s already agreed to it, Nana-brat,” Franky interrupted, “You’re going to go with the Straw Hats.”

“What?” Nana gulped, “You’re...sending me away?” 

Franky looked at Nana solemnly, “You can’t stay in Water 7 and fulfill your dream at the same time.”

“Yes, I can,” Nana said, “One day I’ll be able to arm a ship-”

“Idiot!” Franky interrupted, “The only way you can make sure that a weapon, ANY weapon, doesn’t kill anyone is if you fire it yourself. Don’t you realize that?”

Nana drew in a sharp breath. 

“And you can’t know how to make a weapon that will survive the New World if you haven’t been there to see it in real life,” Franky added, “You have to leave this island. Even if the government didn’t know your name, I’d tell you to leave too.”

“Wh...what’s the New World?” Chopper asked.

“It’s what they call the second half of the Grand Line…” Nana said, “Past the red line.”

She turned to look at Chopper but her eyes fell on the sleeping rubber man at the table. “Franky, you’re making this request as if Luffy already said yes...He’s not even awake to make the decision,” Nana protested.

“He did say yes, Nana-chan,” Sanji replied.

Nana whirled around and she blinked at the blonde. “Wait...what?!”

“Actually, I’m a little surprised he didn’t ask you when we first met,” Nami admitted.

“What? Why?” 

“You have a dog he can ride,” Nami said.

“And a waterboard too,” Sanji added.

Nami nodded fervently. “Oh right. Luffy would not that let that one slide for sure.” 

“Those are stupid reasons!” Nana protested.

“He asked me to join because I have seven different transformations, not because I’m a doctor,” Chopper pointed out.

“And I joined because I asked,” Robin said with a smile, “The captain really doesn’t make his decisions based on logic.”

“I-I-I-I-...” Nana stammered and then she clenched her fist, “I refuse.”

Franky crossed his arms. “I thought you might say that, Nana-brat but there’s something you should think about before you make your final decision.”

“This is my final decision,” Nana replied stubbornly.

“Great,” Franky said and then got up to his feet, “Then you’ll be okay once the World Government finds out that the ‘Nana’ at Enies Lobby is from Water 7? You’ll be okay when  they come here to find you and most likely hurt Galley-La and Iceberg in the process?”

Nana stiffened and the retort she had prepared at the tip of her tongue was wiped away completely.

“What we did...on Enies Lobby...What you helped the Straw Hats do, Nana-brat,” Franky said slowly, “It has consequences. You can’t expect to walk away from it without any repercussions, especially after you single-handedly destroyed at least six of their warships.”

“What about you? What if they come and take you?” Nana asked.

Franky grinned and stuck out his arm. “I have an iron body and I’ve come back from death once. I’ll be okay...And the Franky Family, we work in the underworld! We already are enemies of the Government.”

Nana took a deep breath and looked around the room at the Straw Hats. She liked them, she really did...but she had only known them for a couple of days. Did they really think she’d be able to leave her home?!

Her eyes met Sanji’s and then a question popped into her head. “So...Franky has already talked to you guys about this, huh? About the Government... ”

“Yes, Nana-chan,” Sanji answered.

Nana’s stomach tightened. “I don’t want to sail off like a coward just because I’m afraid of what the Government will do to the ones I love,” she growled, “And I certainly don’t want to be part of a crew if they only want me there because of pity.”

“Luffy fell asleep before any of that,” Nami stated.

Nana looked at her in surprise as the other Straw Hats nodded their head. “Franky had asked Luffy if he wanted you to be part of the crew...Luffy said yes and then fell asleep while Franky was explaining all his reasons…” Nami continued and then she stepped forward and took Nana’s hand into hers, “We’re not doing this out of pity. We do like you a lot. You’re strong.”

“And fun,” Chopper added.

“And kind,” Robin joined in.

“And beautiful,” Sanji swooned.

“And most importantly…” Nami said with a grin, “Zoro owes you money but he’s not going to be able to pay you back anytime soon so you might as well stick around until you can get it back.”

Nana snorted and then suddenly Robin was standing behind her with her hand on Nana’s shoulder. “The question is...do you  _ want _ to come with us?”

_ BOOM! _

Before Nana could answer, someone had smashed through the concrete wall to her right. Dust and debris blew into the room and Nana threw her elbow over her eyes for protection. “What the hell?!” 

“Who’s there?” Chopper screamed.

A big, burly old man came out of the dust cloud with a hat shaped like a dog on his head and a long marine coat around his shoulders. The coat was decorated to indicate that this man was a Vice Admiral of the Navy. “So you guys are the Straw Hats? I’ve got some guys, who I want Monkey D. Luffy to meet. ”   
  


“The Navy,” Franky, Sanji, and Nana growled as they got into their fighting stance.

The marine spotted the snoring Luffy in the back and he grinned. “Geez..he’s as hopeless as ever.”

Like a strong wind, he disappeared in front of the Straw Hats’ eyes and blew right past them towards the sleeping rubber man. Their eyes widened as they turned towards Luffy. “What?!” Franky gasped.

“He’s fast!” Nana breathed.

“Dammit!” Sanji scowled.

“WAKE UP!” the man yelled as he punched Luffy hard on the head, breaking the chair and the floor below the rubber man.

“Luffy!” Chopper cried.

Luffy immediately sat up and he clutched his head. “AHHH! It hurts! Ow!!!”

“It hurts?!” Sanji exclaimed incredulously, “What’re you saying? That was a punch! There’s no way that’d work on rubber.”

The marine took off his hat. “There’s no means to ward off a fist of love! Looks like you’ve gone on quite the rampage, huh, Luffy?”

“Ack!” Luffy cried when he realized who had punched him. A huge lump formed on Luffy’s head and it was throbbing immensely, “G-G-G-G-...Grandpa!”

“WHAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!” the entire room screamed.

“A-A-Navy Vice Admiral is…” Chopper started to shout.

“Luffy’s...grandfather?!” Nana finished.

“Luffy!” the Vice Admiral declared, “Isn’t there something you need to apologize to me for?!”

The marines behind the Vice Admiral gasped too. “Vice Admiral Garp’s got a grandson?”

Nami balked at the name. “GARP?!”

“Luffy! Is he really your grandpa?!” Sanji asked incredulously.

“That’s right. Don’t mess with him,” Luffy grunted as he rubbed his head, “When I was small, he almost killed me a bunch of times!”

“Oy!” his grandfather shouted, “Don’t go around giving me a bad name. I wasn’t trying to kill you. Sure....I shoved you into a bottomless pit. I threw you into a jungle at night. I attached you to balloons and let them fly...but I did all those things in order to make you a strong man.”

“Oh...I’ve done the last one before. It’s actually quite fun except the landing part,” Nana murmured.

“Ow...not now, Nana-brat,” Franky muttered.

“I think I’ve just discovered where Luffy’s endless vitality comes from…” Sanji said.

“I eventually entrusted you with my friend and had you train with Ace…,” the Vice Admiral sighed, “But I took my eyes off of you for one second and looks what happened? I trained you to be a strong marine!’

Luffy leapt to his feet, “I told you over and over again! I wanted to become a pirate!”

“You got corrupted by ‘Red Hair’! How foolish!” the Vice Admiral shouted back.

“Sh-Shanks saved my life! Don’t badmouth him!” Luffy cried with his fists ready.

“‘Red Hair’ Shanks? Vice Admiral Garp?!” Nana gasped and she looked at Luffy in a whole new light, “What kind of childhood did Luffy have?!”

“Not a normal one...that’s for sure,” Sanji muttered.

“How dare you talk to your grandfather like that?!” Garp roared and he grabbed Luffy by the front of his shirt.

Luffy thrashed against his hold. “Ahhh! I’m sorry!!!”

“AHHHH! Luffy got caught by the Navy!” Chopper screamed.

_ ZZZZZZZZZZZ! _

Everyone’s eyes bugged out as both the Admiral and Luffy fell asleep in their current positions. “WHAT?! They fell asleep?!?!”

“...So what do we do? I’ve never been in a situation like this before…” Nana asked the room. She scanned her surroundings and saw the looks of disbelief not just in the room but among Garp’s own men outside. “So...It’s not just me then…”

Garp snapped awake. “Oh no! I fell asleep. His eyes fell on the sleeping Luffy in his hands. “Hm?!” 

He glared at his grandson and he raised his fist. “Wake up, Luffy! Is that how you behave when you’re being scolded?! And that’s not how you should speak to your grandpa in the first place!”

Luffy bounced all around the room as Garp gave his grandson a hefty beating. “DON’T DESTROY THE BUILDING!” Nana yelled as she clutched her hammer, “THIS IS STILL GALLEY-LA PROPERTY, YOU KNOW!”

Sanji put a hand on Nana’s shoulder and shook his head in defeat. “Just give up, Nana-chan. There’s nothing we can do at this point.”

“Ugh,” Nana groaned and then raised her hammer.

“Nana-chan!” Sanji protested.

Nana rolled her eyes at and shrugged her arm out of his hold. “Relax. I’m just going to get supplies and then patch up that wall.”  

When she left the room, she ran straight back to Iceberg’s office. She kicked down the door and glared angrily at the shipwright, who was still diligently drawing out his blueprint. “You’re sending me away?!” she demanded.

Iceberg paused in his writing and then looked over at Nana. He studied her angered face and petted Tyrannosaurus with his index finger. “So I guess the Straw Hats have asked you to join...or did Moronky let it slip?” 

“That’s not the point!” Nana said and she thumped her hammer down on the ground for emphasis, “I’m not leaving this island. You can’t get rid of me that easily.”

Iceberg folded his hands behind his head and let out a little smile. “I had to convince you to take this job and stay on this island...now I have to convince you to leave?”

“Don’t try to tell me this is for my own good,” Nana said and pointed an accusing finger at him, “If I ever leave this island it will be on my terms and my terms alone.” 

“Afraid you’re going to miss me too much, Nana?” Iceberg teased.

“Is everything a joke to you?!” Nana demanded, “I’m not a meeting you can just cancel. I’m not a responsibility that you can just shirk off. How can you just let me go like that?! Do I mean nothing to you?!”

Iceberg’s face turned solemn. “It’s the exact opposite, Nana. I’m doing this because I love you.  You are my daughter after all.” 

Nana balked at the man and she stared at him. They had never said those three words to each other before. It was much easier for them to joke around with each other than to ever talk seriously about their feelings or to really dissect their relationship.

Iceberg sighed and got up from his chair. He walked over to his daughter and put his hands on her shoulders. “You were never mine to keep, Nana,” Iceberg said sternly, “I gave you a home and gave you the tools you needed but there’s only so much you can learn here. The next step of your education is through experience.” 

“If you really do love me,” Nana pressed, “Wouldn’t you want me to stay? Wouldn’t you miss me?”

“Of course, I’d miss you,” Iceberg said with a chuckle, “But loving someone means accepting who they are. I’ve never tried to change you, Nana, and only tried to guide you to be the best of who you are. And who you are is a girl who dreams of arming a ship that can travel safely through the New World...and you can’t do that here. I mean, can you honestly tell me that you can achieve your dreams without seeing what’s out there?”

Nana was about to respond and Iceberg covered her mouth with his hand. “And before you make a snap decision, really think about my question. I don’t want to hear your answer now,” he said sternly and then pushed her out of the room, “Think about it and then give me your answer tomorrow.”

“What?!” Nana sputtered. She spun around but then was met with Iceberg shutting the door in her face.

“Tomorrow,” he said through the door.

  
  



	24. A Woman, A Pirate, or a Craftsman

Nana was taking out her frustration on the boards in front of her. After being unceremoniously kicked out of Iceberg’s office, she had stormed back to the Straw Hats with lumber and nails in hand.

She sat down with a grunt and started to swing her hammer furiously. At first the Straw Hats tried to engage her in conversation but was only met with her annoyed glare. She didn’t even turn to say goodbye to Franky when he and the twins left to see about the Adam tree shipment. Her mind was zeroed in on the boards. Her work was always a good way for her to clear her head and figure out what exactly she was going to do.

It seemed logical for her to join the Straw Hats but could she really just leave Water 7 like that? WIth every bang of her hammer, she weighed a pro and con.

_Thwack! Don’t go. Iceberg needs me to help rebuild the island, even if he says he doesn’t._

_Thwack! Go and see the world! Iceberg has Paulie._

_Thwack! Don’t go. This is my home._

_Thwack! Go. Iceberg isn’t going anywhere but if I stay, I might never see the Straw Hats again._

_Thwack! But what does it matter if I never see them again?!_

She paused and looked around the room. Nami and Robin were chatting with Granny Kokoro around the dining table. Chopper was playing with Chimney, Gonbe, and Yokozuna while Sanji was busying himself in the kitchen. Outside, she heard the sounds of Zoro’s swords clashing with marines and Luffy throwing punches at them.

 _Tch,_ she scoffed as she turned to her work, _I’ve only spent a couple days with them. Nothing to cry over when they leave. Sure, I’ll miss them but wouldn’t I miss Iceberg more? Ugh. This is so frustrating!_

_Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!_

Out of the blue, a cup of water was shoved right in front of her eyes. She looked over to see Sanji holding the glass. He squatted next to her and he had a warm smile on his face. “I know I shouldn’t bother you, Nana-chan, but you’ve been working so hard, I figured you might need some water.”

He was looking at her so sincerely that she didn’t have the heart to tell him to go away. She did flash him a scowl, though, and took the glass from him. She downed the water in one go and handed it back to him. “There! Now leave me alone.”

“Nana-chwan is very sexy when she’s focused on her work!” Sanji cooed at her.

Nana’s face turned beet red and she immediately fell back on her hands. She scrambled backwards and away from him. “Wh-wh-what are you talking about, you idiot?!” she snapped.

Nana’s mind was running a mile a minute. _Sexy? I’ve been called many things before. Cute. Pretty. Strong...But sexy?!_

“Oy! Can you not flirt with her when it’s clear she’s got things on her mind?!” Nami yelled as she ran over to knock Sanji furiously over the head with her fist. She grabbed him by the collar and dragged him back to the kitchen, “Sorry, Nana...This guy would hit on any attractive woman. Ignore him.”

Nana’s hand went to her face and she felt the heat from her cheeks. She suddenly wished she had another glass of water. She smacked the sides of her face with both hands. _Idiot. Get a grip! Didn’t you hear Nami? He says this to all the attractive women!_

Then Nana realized why the cook seemed to fluster her from time to time. It was during those moments where he looked and spoke to her as if she was a woman.

 _“It’s not too hard to believe that you’ve never had a female figure to guide you, let alone be viewed as one.” Yes...that’s what Robin had said. She’s right...I’ve only been treated either as a craftsman or a child...Never a woman. Is that why I’m so weird around this guy? Cuz I’m not used to being treated as a_ woman _?_

“Well then...Men!”

Garp’s bark shook Nana out of her thoughts and she stood up to peer over the boards at the Vice Admiral, who stood in front of the wall with his back turned to her. He had been watching Zoro and Luffy fight from there and he didn’t even notice what was going on behind him.

“Yes, sir!” the marines saluted back.

“Repair this wall behind me!” he demanded.

“No need,” Nana called out, making the Vice Admiral turn and see her for the first time. She patted the boards in front of her and lifted her hammer for emphasis. “I’m almost done.”

“What?!” Garp turned on his heels and he was shocked to see that the three quarters of the wall had already been boarded up, “So fast!”

Nana smirked at the Vice Admiral, “Don’t underestimate the building power of Galley-La… Besides, if you were going to have this fixed, why did you break it in the first place?”

“It’s cooler to go in that way, isn’t it?” Garp declared.

Nana snorted and then nodded her head. She should’ve expected something like that from Luffy’s blood relative.

“THAT’S NOT A GOOD REASON!” the marines behind Garp shouted.

Nana scowled and handed Garp a hammer, “I guess you might as well help me finish this since you created this mess.”

“WHAT?!” Garp protested and then he relaxed, “Fine. Okay.”

“If you don’t mind, I’d rather you use the door this time,” Nana quipped.

“Oh sure,” he replied and then he raised his eyebrows at Nana. “You’re not intimidated by me?”

“Of course I’m intimidated!” Nana snapped back, “One wrong move and you could call on the Navy to destroy this entire island but right now, I’m just more angry that you guys made such a fucking mess!”

Garp let out a small chuckle as he walked around the building to get to the door. “You have a weird way of showing fear.”

“Ahhhh, Nana-chan, you’re so bold!” Sanji swooned from behind them.

Soon Garp and Nana were hammering away at the last bits of the wall.  Zoro and Luffy returned to join them as well but they sat back and watched the Vice Admiral and the mechanic work.

“Come to think of it, Luffy...I heard that you saw your old man,” Garp said nonchalantly as he pounded in a nail.

“Dad? What dad? I have a dad?” Luffy replied.

Garp picked his nose and grinned. “Oh...then he didn’t tell you who he was? I heard that he saw you off at Loguetown.”

“Loguetown?” Nana muttered as she held up a new nail, “Isn’t that all the way in the East Blue?”

“Luffy’s old man was in that town?” Sanji asked.

Luffy’s eyes got bigger. “Wh-What’s my dad like?”

“I’m curious...about Luffy’s father…” Nami muttered to herself.

“Your father’s name is…” Garp barked as he continued to hammer, “Monkey D. Dragon. He’s a revolutionary!”

_Thwack!_

_“_ “WHATTTTTT?!” the Straw Hats and the marines exclaimed.

“Shiiiiiit!” Nana cried at the same time. She had slammed her hammer onto her thumb. She put it in her mouth and sucked on it to help ease the pain.

“Nana-chan!” Sanji shouted as he rushed over to her.

She let out a string of curse words as the pain was not subsiding. She glared at the Vice Admiral sitting casually next to her, “Don’t say something like that when people are trying to work! What the hell do you mean Dragon is Luffy’s father?! What kind of scary ass family do you guys have?!”

“Guys...what are you so surprised about?” Luffy asked curiously.

“IDIOT!” Sanji shouted back at him, “You don’t know the name, ‘Dragon’?!”

“Your father is a dangerous man!” Nami exclaimed.

“Huh?!” Luffy was not getting it. He turned to the smartest person he knew, “Hey...Robin?”

“How can I explain it…?” Robin wondered. She put her hand to her chin and tried to figure out the right words. “Pirates wouldn’t start a fight directly with the Government or Navy so there’s another power trying to bring down the World Government. That’s the revolutionary army...And Dragon is the man who leads it. The Government has deemed Dragon the world’s most heinous criminal...but he’s been considered a mysterious man whose background was completely unknown….and yet...”

“And yet?” Luffy repeated. He followed Robin’s gaze and he landed on his grandfather, who was still hammering away.

Suddenly, Garp stopped and turned around with an embarrassed grin. “Ah! I guess...I shouldn’t have said anything, should I?’

“WHAT?!” everyone cried.

Garp laughed heartily. “Well, then...Forget what I just said.”

Everyone’s face turned to stone as they gawked at the old man. “WHAAAAAAAAAAAT?!”

Nana looked at Sanji. “What is up with your captain’s family?”

Her voice shook Sanji out of his stunned state and he looked down at her and smiled. “ _Our_ captain’s family, Nana-chan.”

Nana scowled back at him. “Listen, Prince Charming, I haven’t agreed to anything so don’t just assume I’m coming with you.”

After Nana got over her injured thumb, with the help of Chopper’s expert bandaging, she made short work for the rest of the wall. She even managed to put in a window as well as install crown molding around the room.

She lifted the leftover planks along her shoulders and was about to bring it into the warehouse when something clutched her leg. She looked down to see a smiling Chimney and Gonbe. “Big Sis! Wanna go swimming with us?” Chimney asked.

“I can’t swim, remember?” Nana said grimly as she tried to shake Chimney and Gonbe off her legs.

“Well, you can just lay by the pool with us,” Nami replied from behind and gave her a little wink, “It doesn’t seem right to use the Galley-La employee pool without a Galley-La employee, now does it?”

Nana scoffed but then gave in. She did agree to spend the rest of the day with the Straw Hats. “Fine. Let me just put my tools back and I’ll meet you guys down there.”

* * *

The company pool was located at the bottom of a hill with large stone walls encircling it for privacy. There was a wide stone staircase that led down to the large circular pool. Large water fountains poured from the sides of the wall and down into the pool. It had lounge chairs all around it and a stone platform at the center, like a stage. Stone arches linked from the edges of the pool to the stone platform to create four walkways. Towards the north end of the pool was a large cooking station with a large metal grill, stone tables, and stone chairs.

Nana headed down the stairs and was surprised to see Nami lounging in a beach chair writing in a notebook. _I thought Nami was coming here to take a swim…_

When she got closer she saw that Nami had her hand over her ear and was listening intently to a transponder snail. Nana peeked over her shoulders and read her notes.

_Sea Prism Stones - release the same energy as the sea itself. Spread across bottom of ships to avoid Sea Kings. GOVERNMENT SECRET!_

“So you’re eavesdropping?” Nana said with a grin, scaring Nami and making the navigator jump a foot high in her chair.

“Shh! Be quiet, Nana,” Nami hissed, “Chances like this don’t come often!”

“Pirate lady is boring! This is boring!” Chimney whined as she and Gonbe thrashed in the pool.

“Ugh! I need to listen!” Nami shouted angrily.

Nana put her hands on her hips and she raised her eyebrows at the child and her pet. “You guys are bored?”

“Yesssss,” Chimney complained.

“How can you be bored when there is a shark in the pool?” Nana asked, feigning surprise.

“SHARKS?!” Chimey exclaimed.

Nana smirked. “Pygmy, go!” Pygmy sprinted forward and cannonballed into the water, causing a wave that pushed Chimney and Gonbe to the sides of the pool. He started to swim really fast towards Chimney and he barked at her.

“Ahhh! Shark!!! Stay away from the shark!!” Nana called out as Chimney screamed excitedly and tried to swim away from the the dog.

Nami gave Nana an appreciative nod as Nana sat down next to her and listened in on the other ear piece.

“Dr. Vegapunk, the Navy scientist, is incredible!” Nana heard someone say.

“Yeah, Straw Hat,” a second voice said, “Take Devil Fruits, like the one you ate. He’s already clarified how their powers get transmitted. In addition, he’s created a tech that allows an object to eat a Devil Fruit.”

Nana’s eyes widened. _Like the elephant sword…_

The conversation started to turn to old friends catching up and Nami pulled her earpiece out. She nudged Nana and Nana did the same. Nami dove into the pool and Nana could see her swimming under the clean water.

Nana folded up her legs and leaned against the pool chair. She thought about what she had just heard. A Devil Fruit powered object? How would that even work? The idea had never even occurred to her before. If it wasn’t for seeing Spandam’s elephant sword in action, she wouldn’t have believed it.

Nana froze when she realized that she wouldn’t have even seen _that_ if she hadn’t left Water 7 in the first place. _Icy’s right,_ she thought, _How am I supposed to properly arm a ship if I don’t even know what’s_

Nana glanced around her and she was instantly aware of the walls that surrounded the pool. Her stomach felt like it was being tied into knots. _If I don’t leave this island...I won’t be able to fulfill my dream._

“Oy! Nana!” Nana looked up just in time to catch the beach ball Nami had thrown at her.

The navigator grinned at her. “Don’t look so troubled. You should relax and unwind!”

Nana brought the ball to her chest. “Hey, Nami...Can I ask you something?”

Nami tilted her head and stared curiously at her. “Yeah. What’s up?”

“Why are you a pirate?”

Nami slicked her wet hair back and her eyes twinkled when she looked back at Nana. “So we can go to Raftel.”

Nana nodded solemnly and looked down at the ball. “For the One Piece. I get it. You’re in it for the treasure.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Nami scoffed, “That’s not what I said at all. Yes, the treasure is a big pull for me but I didn’t decide to become a pirate for the One Piece.”

Nana shot her a perplexed look. “So what the hell do you mean then?”

“Like I said…” Nami placed her hands on her hips, “I want to go to Raftel. Becoming a pirate and joining Luffy was the best way.”

She let out a soft smile as she looked up at the sky and thought about everything she’s been through with the rubber man so far. “My dream is to someday draw a map of the entire world and at one point in my life, I thought achieving that dream would be impossible...but ever since I met Luffy, the chances of me being able to fulfill my dream became larger and larger. And now…”

She beamed at Nana with the most confident smile Nana had ever seen on Nami’s face. “I know I can make my dream a reality as long as I stay with Luffy and the others.”

Nana blinked back at Nami. “I see...And all the others they joined not because they wanted to be pirates too?”

Nami swam to the edge of the pool and leaned over it. “We all have our own reasons. You’d have to ask them.”

Nana sat back against the chair and hugged the ball to her chest as she contemplated what the navigator had told her.

“YESSS!!! Nami-swan is in her bikini. There she is!!!”

Nana looked up and watched as Sanji twirled down towards them with trays of food and beverages balanced perfectly on his arms and head. Luffy and the rest of the Straw Hats followed behind him.  

“Wow, he’s not even spilling a drop!” Nana couldn’t help but marvel.

“Sanji-kun! Some orange juice, please!” Nami ordered, unfazed by the cook’s actions.

“Yes, Nami-swan! Nana-chwan, do you want anything?” Sanji dutifully replied.

“Beer... if you have any,” Nana grunted as she leaned back against her chair.

Zoro gaped at her from the top of the step. “Beer?! You drink beer?!” he asked.

Nana raised an eyebrow at him as if he had posed a ridiculous question. “I grew up in a shipyard. Of course I drink beer!”

“Aren’t you 16?” Zoro snapped.

“I could be 18,” Nana said, “No one knows for sure.”

“One orange juice and one beer coming right up!” Sanji shouted devotedly as he poured their beverages with a flourish. In a flash, Nana had a nice frosty pint in her hands.

“Oy, you pervy cook, where’s _my_ beer?” Zoro growled as he sat down by a metal dining table with a large blue umbrella covering it.

“Pour it yourself, you shitty swordsman. Do I look like a waiter to you?” Sanji snapped back.

“You can have mine,” Nana said. She walked across the tiled floor and handed the pint to Zoro with a wink, “I can just get another one. Oy, Sanji, could I have another one?”

Within seconds, Sanji had a second pint prepared for her and she clinked cups with Zoro, who smirked at Sanji’s jealous glare.

“Cheers!” Nana said and took a gulp.

“You know,” Zoro grunted as he wiped some stray beer from his chin and glancing over at the angry cook, “There’s more perks with you joining us then I realized.”

Nana took a more thoughtful sip of beer and then looked at the swordsman, “So what were the perks for you joining then?”

“Huh?”

Nana looked at him exasperatedly. It was clear he was the type that needed to have things spelled out for him. “What made you decide to be a pirate and not be...whatever it was you were before?”

“I was a bounty hunter,” Zoro growled, “I hunted pirates before I became one.”

“Why the switch?”

Zoro shrugged. “I want to be the world’s greatest swordsman. Figured sticking with the future King of Pirates would help me get there.”

“Even if that means becoming something that you were trying to catch before?” Nana asked in disbelief.

“Whatever gets me to my dream,” Zoro replied and downed the last of his beer.

Nana contemplated his words and then turned her attention to the rubber man, who was behind held back by Chopper so that his drool would not hit the meats cooking on the grill.

“Oy! Luffy,” she called out cautiously, “You really want me to join your crew?”.

“Oh yeah!!!” Luffy shouted. He leapt over to Nana and landed right in the chair across from her. “Nana, join my crew,” he demanded as he bounced on his knees.

“I’m not a shipwright, you know that right?” Nana reminded, “I can fix the ship up if need be but my expertise is in-”

“I know,” Luffy interrupted with a grin, “I already have another guy in mind for a shipwright.”

Nana smiled excitedly at Luffy, catching his drift, and she tapped her finger to her chin. “Okay...then I have only one condition for me to join.”

Luffy began to pick his nose. “Okay...what is it?”

“I won’t be able to fulfill my dream without your help,” Nana said. She looked Luffy solemnly in the eyes. “I want to arm a ship that can travel from the New World and back without taking any lives. Does that work for you?”

Luffy tilted his head. “Huh?”

“If I come on board...there will be no killing. At least...not by me and not by the weapons on the ship,” Nana said, “Is that okay with you?”

“Can I still kick people’s ass and beat them up?”

“Of course! Do whatever you have to do. Just don’t ask me to kill anyone or use any of my weapons for it. Deal?”

Luffy grinned. “Deal!”

Nana let out a slow, long drawn out breath. “Okay. Then ask me officially to come on board.”

Luffy stuck out his hand and he smiled. “Mizu Nana, will you be my nakama?”

Nana took his hand. “Since you asked so sincerely…,” she joked.  Then she winked at the rubber man. “Fuck yeah...Captain!”

“Shishishishi. Just call me Luffy,” Luffy laughed and then jumped to his feet on top of the chair, “LET’S CELEBRATE!”

“YOSH!!!” the Straw Hats cheered including Nana.

\--

“Nami-swan! Nana-chwan! Robin-chwan! The water-water meats are ready!” Sanji called from the grill.

“Okay!” Nami called from the pool.

Nana got up from her deck chair and walked over to the grill. The smell of well marinated meats and vegetables perfumed upward. “Whoa,” she whispered as she looked down at the skewers, “This all looks wonderful.”

“Please taste my work of love, Nana-chan,” Sanji said excitedly as he turned his back towards her so that he could grab a skewer. _The angel is going to taste my food for the first time! Ahhh! I can even feed it to her!!!_

Without a word, Granny Kokoro sailed out of the water, landing swiftly on the tiled floor.

“Grandma! That was amazing!” Chimney cheered.

Granny Kokoro laughed and nudged Nana out of the way so that she could get to the food, “It smells good.”

“Right?!” Sanji cooed as he turned around with two skewers of barbecue ready for his angel, “Here! Say ‘Aaah!’”

“Ahhh,” Granny Kokoro growled as she ate the food in one gulp.

Sanji collapsed onto his knees and beat the ground with his fists. Nana chuckled and then grabbed a skewer off of the grill herself. She took a small bite and then her eyes widened. “This...this is delicious!”

“Thank you, Nana-chan,” Sanji said weakly from the floor with tears streaming down his face.

“Why are you crying?!” Zoro snapped at the cook.

“Smoke got in my eyes, okay? Shut up, you shitty morimo!” Sanji yelled.

“Yummmyyyyy!” Luffy and Chopper cried with their cheeks stuffed with meats.

Sogeking suddenly appeared next to them with his mouth filled with food as well. “Yummy!!!” he agreed, “Water-water meat barbecue!”

“AND WHEN DID YOU GET HERE?!” Zoro blustered as he grabbed a skewer himself.

Nana handed a skewer straight from the grill and to Robin, who quickly withdrew her fingers when she touched the metal. Nana winced apologetically, “Sorry. It’s hot isn’t it?”

Robin smiled and shook her head, “It’s fine. Do you not feel the heat?”

Nana held out one of her palms so Robin could feel her calluses along her fingers. “I’ve burned myself so many times with heated metals that this is nothing.”

Robin cautiously took the skewer from her and then ate a bite.

“How is it Robin-chan?!” Sanji asked excitedly, “You can tell it’s well-marinated right?!”

“Yes,” Robin said, “It’s delicious.”

A group of the Franky Family members appeared at the entrance and they ran down the cement stairs towards the pool. “AHHH! STRAW HAT!!! We heard that you woke up!”

“Hey! This is for Galley-La employees only!” Nana yelled.

“Well technically, you’re no longer one now,”  Robin pointed out with a smile.

“Oh yeah…” Nana said and then gulped, “But I still have to hand in my resignation to Icy…”

“Franky Family! Come here and eat!” Luffy shouted excitedly.

The two heads of Sodom and Gomorrah appeared over the wall and then the two giants Usopp had freed. Swarms of Galley-La shipwrights came down the stairs as well.

“Wow...this is turning into quite the party,” Nana remarked.

“OYYYY! STRAW HAT!!! YOU WOKE UP!” Tilestone roared.

“Oh no…” Nana muttered as she shot a look over at Nami, “If he’s here then that must mean…”

“AHHHHHHH! Shameless girl, what are you wearing?!” Paulie’s voice shouted with his face completely red.

“This is a pool, mister!” Nami shouted indignantly as she got out of the pool to help herself to some food.

“It’s very lively here isn’t it?” Iceberg said with a smile as he walked up to Paulie.

“ICEBERG-SAN! Don’t look at the shameless girl!” Paulie exclaimed as he pulled up a towel and tried to cover up Nami with it.

“Oy, don’t be rude,” Nana barked as she grabbed the towel off his hands. She unclipped her own overalls and then rolled it down so he could see that her tank top just barely stopped past her belly button, baring her scarred mid drift.

“AH!!! Nana cover your belly!” he roared, “Just because you made friends with pirates doesn’t give you the right to act like one!”

Nana folded her arms. “What if I _am_ one?” she said defiantly.

“What?!”  Paulie dropped his cigar. “Nana! What are you-”

“Oh my...You’ve agreed to go with the Straw Hats then?” Iceberg asked calmly.

Nana turned to him and took a deep breath. “I’ve agreed.”

Her eyes met him and for a moment they said nothing, while Paulie gaped at them. Nana and Iceberg looked at each other with a mix of respect and sadness, both minds reflecting back to the train station so many years ago.

“Oy but Nana-,” Paulie started to say but Nana cut him off with a finger jab into his chest.

“I don’t want anyone saying goodbye to me. I don’t want a send off. I don’t want to make it a big deal,” Nana demanded to Paulie, “Are we clear? No goodbyes!”

“No goodbyes…” Paulie gulped.

Nana’s attention moved back to Iceberg, who silently nodded his agreement. Nana took a deep breath and smiled at him. “Good...That way it’ll be easier for me to leave.”

“Oh my…” Iceberg said, “Don’t say that now...You don’t even have a ship to go on yet.”

“Speaking of that,” Nana grinned as she looked around the pool, “I should go find Franky and let him know that I’ll take care of the weapons for this dream ship of his.”

“You’re really going just let her go like that?” Paulie asked as he and Iceberg watched Nana run off in search for the cyborg.

Iceberg was silent for a long time. Then he exhaled and turned towards the barbecue, “Looks like we need to hire a new mechanic along with more shipwrights and a new secretary. Paulie, can you help put an ad in the papers?”


	25. Craft

The Straw Hats were having an amazing time and the city of Water 7 were enjoying it just as much. After constant begging and pleas from the children, Nana dragged out her cannons and provided a spectacular display of fireworks for the city. It lit the skies in vibrant colors, creating the perfect backdrop for Sogeking to sing over nine thousand songs that all sounded pretty much the same but everyone was too happy to care. 

Franky was leading Chopper and the group in a dance off while Luffy was riding Pygmy all around the pool with a giant skewer of assorted meats in his hands. Zoro was drinking and cheering with a mix of shipwrights and the Franky Family members while Nami and Robin were laying out by the pool.

Nana was enjoying the celebration just as much as the rest of them. She watched as Iceberg lounged next to Granny Kokoro with a drink in their hands and then bursted into laughter when the bikini clad Mozu and Kiwi hugged Paulie tightly just to watch him squirm. 

A small crowd of children had gathered around Sanji’s chef station and Nana walked over curiously. She watched as he dangled a small cherry in front of their eyes and then he wiggled his eyebrows with a playful smile. He placed his cherry on his cutting board and then raised his knife. His hands blurred around him like a dance of knives, pans, and flames. Nana was enraptured by his performance and so were the kids around him.

_ I didn’t realize what a skilled craftsman he is.  _ Nana thought as he revealed, with a flourish, a five tiered cake made of delicately sliced meats and vegetables. She put her fingers to her lips and let out a loud whistle. “Encore! Encore!”

He looked up from the cake and his eyes lit up when he saw the angel. “Nana-chwan!!! Come have the first taste.” 

Nana walked over, pushing some of the kids aside and she leaned over the prep station so she could see all the tools he’s working with. “Wow, you did all this with just these things?” She then nodded over to the grill, where he was cooking another round of water-water meat, “How is the grill working for you?”

Sanji blinked back at her. “It works great, Nana-chan. Why do you ask?”

Nana smiled. “It’s my responsibility to make sure my products match up to the user’s skills.”

“Nana-chan, you made this grill?! It’s so well made that it could stand up to any of the grills on the Baratie.”

Nana folded her arms and tilted her head to the side. “Baratie?”

“Yes, it’s the restaurant ship I used to work on before I became a pirate.”

Nana’s eyes widened. “A whole ship that’s a restaurant?! I bet the equipment was state of the art. How many stoves did you guys have? How many customers did you serve in a day?”

Sanji couldn’t quite believe it. For the first time since he left the old geezer to become a pirate, not one person had shown that any interest in learning about the ins and outs of running a kitchen. Yes, everyone loved his cooking but no one ever wondered about his process and the effort needed for a single dish. 

He spent over an hour chatting to the angel about life as a cook until finally he caught himself lecturing about the importance of kitchen maintenance. “Ah, Nana-chan,” he said as he lit a new cigarette, “I’m sorry. I’m sure you don’t want to listen to me talk about grease stains.”

Nana shook her head. “Not at all! Getting oil off of stainless steel is always a pain in the ass.”  She then looked curiously at him. “Well, it seemed you were really happy on the Baratie. What made you decide to become a pirate?”

“I want to go to the New World,” Sanji replied and then he took a deep breath, “I want to go find the All Blue.”

He studied the angel’s face closely for any signs of condescension but she just stared curiously back at him. “What’s the All Blue?”

“It’s a sea of legend,” Sanji said slowly, “Where the seas of North, South, East, and West meet. There’s fishes from each sea there and you would have all the freshest resources at your fingertips.” He paused and looked over at the angel to gauge her reaction. Then he drew back a sharp breath. The angel was looking dreamily out over the pool with a smile on her lips.

“The freshest resources,” she marvelled, “Man, if they had something like that for a mechanic... Can you imagine? All the metal and tools I could ever need to make anything I want?!” She turned to Sanji. “I’d be there in a heart beat.” 

Then she frowned when she saw that he was gaping at her. “What? Did I say something wrong?’

Sanji shook his head and quickly recovered his composure. “No, Nana-chan. It’s just...most people don’t believe in the All Blue and they think people who believe it are fools...So when I talk about it, it’s usually met with laughs and mockery.”

Nana looked indignant on his behalf. “What?! Why would they do that? What kind of craftsman would laugh at another’s desire to enhance his craft?” 

Sanji didn’t know what to say. Having his dream accepted right off the bat was already a rarity but to also be recognized and understood? He thought he and old man Zeff were the only two in the world who shared the same mindset but now there was also her.

She beamed at him. “I think your dream is great, Sanji and I really hope I can get to see the All Blue with you.”

In that moment she looked as radiant as the sun itself. He was suddenly very aware that her attention was on him and only on him. He felt heat rise up to his cheeks and his pulse quickened. 

“AHHH! NANA-SAN!!!”

He stilled and they both turned towards the loud, boisterous Tilestone, who was holding a keg over his head. “The swordsman here says he doesn’t believe you can drink this whole keg by yourself!” he roared.

Nana put her hands on her hips and she lifted her chin high. “Watch and learn, gentlemen! Watch and learn,” she boasted as she marched towards the drinking group.

Sanji studied the mechanic as she ran off to join the shipwrights in their drinking games with the morimo. It was clear by the way the shipwrights and foremen spoke to her, the way they egged her on, the way they even looked at her, that they viewed her as one of them. Another craftsman...but to Sanji she was more than that. She was an angel and he was falling for her hard.

* * *

Nana woke up the next day with excitement and full of energy. She was about to see Tom’s Workers build a ship and actually be a part of it. It was a momentous day and if she had a tail like Pygmy, she knew it would be wagging with much fervor. She was disappointed to find that Iceberg was severely hungover from the previous night’s celebration so she went to find Franky herself.

Nana and Pygmy raced out of their temporary housing unit and ran towards the Franky’s scrapheap. They had only rounded the corner outside the dock when Nana face planted straight into Franky’s chest. She fell back onto the floor and clutched her pained nose. The afro twins stood at his side.

“Ow, Nana-brat! What are you doing up so early?” Franky asked, lifting his sunglasses so he can get a better look at her.

“I was going to go find you,” she grumbled, “To get a start on the ship.”

Franky grinned. “You have a good work ethic but a poor sense of customer service.”

“What?” Nana jumped to her feet. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“We’re building the ship for the Straw Hat, yeah? Shouldn’t we know if they want any specifications on the ship?” Franky asked.

Nana raised an eyebrow. “Is that where you’re going? To find Luffy and them?”

“Well, seeing as you’re here...Why don’t you go and ask them? Get to know your own crew, you know?” Franky suggested.

Nana rolled her eyes but she turned on her heels and started to walk back into Dock #1. “Fine...I’ll meet you back at the scrapheap when I find out what they want.”

When she got to the Straw Hats’ quarters, she was surprised to find that they were all up already with the smell of bacon and eggs wafting in the air. She could hear them yelling even from outside the door.

“Yes!!! Meat! Meat! Meat!” Luffy cheered.

“Sweet orange juice for the sexy Nami-swan! Delicious coffee for the elegant Robin-chwan!” Sanji called out, “Ah! My lovely ladies are back at my table!”

“Must you be so energetic so early in the morning?,” she heard the swordsman growl, “At least let the rest of us have something to drink.”

“Get it yourself, morimo!” Sanji shot back, “Or would you get lost between the table and the fridge?!”

Nana heard a chair being pushed back and the distinct sounds of katanas rattling. “Huh?! What the hell is that supposed to mean? Are you trying to start a fight with me?!” 

_ Thwack! _

Nana and Pygmy ran into the room. She knocked the swordsman on the head with her hammer before he could even think about pulling out one of his blades and he doubled over the table. “Don’t damage Galley-La property. I already patched up this room once. I’m not doing it again,” she scolded. 

She smiled at the rest of the pirate crew. “Morning, everyone,” she greeted.

“Ooh! Nana-chwan,” Sanji swooned. He ran back to the stove, “Are you joining us for breakfast? I can make you something.”

“I might as well,” Nana said with a grin. She pulled up a chair and sat next to Luffy, who was busy trying to steal the bacon from Chopper’s plate. She petted Pygmy, who sat dutifully next to her, “I actually came to ask you what you guys wanted on your new ship.”

“A dojo,” Zoro immediately said.

“A bathroom with no lock!” Sanji yelled.

“A meat locker!” Luffy chimed in.

_ Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! _

All three received a harsh blow to the head by their navigator. “Think before you speak, you idiots! Don’t make our ship weird,” she ordered before turning to Nana, “I, for one, would like a place for me to draw and store all my maps. And also a place for my tangerine trees.”

“I would like a library or at least a quiet place to read...and a little garden, if that’s alright,” Robin said.

“If I could have an office so that I can see patients and have them rest there, that would be amazing,” Chopper chirped.

“Office, library, garden, infirmary,” Nana repeated and she pulled out a notebook from her messenger bag to write it all down.

“A gym would be good,” Zoro growled.

“I want a comfortable seat,” Luffy stated.

Nana looked at him curiously. “A seat?” 

“He means the mast head, Nana-chan,” Sanji answered, “Luffy likes to sit there when we’re out at sea.”

“Idiot! That’s not what a captain should be requesting from his ship!” Nami yelled, “Shouldn’t you say something about the weapons or the size of the ship?!”

Luffy picked his nose. “Meh...I trust Franky and Nana. They know what they’re doing.”

Nana grinned at her captain’s vote of confidence and she turned to Sanji. “What about you?”

“A lock on the fridge and the pantry,” Sanji replied solemnly.

“What?!” Luffy cried out, “If you do that then I can’t get to the food!”

“That’s exactly why I need one!” Sanji snapped.

Nana laughed as she scribbled down everyone’s requests. She and Franky clearly had their work cut out for them but they were both determined to give the Straw Hats the best ship they’d ever want.

* * *

 

Over the next few days, Nana worked like a demon possessed. She labored and toiled tirelessly alongside Franky and Iceberg to build the best ship ever to exist. Paulie, Tilestone, and Lulu came to help out too but Franky and Iceberg were always the last ones to sleep and the first ones up. Paulie, Lulu, Tilestone, and Nana could barely keep up with their pace.

It was clear that Tom’s Workers were definitely a cut above the rest but everyone was also slightly taken aback by how much Nana was holding her own. She had taken upon herself to personally build the kitchen, the gym, and the bathroom, as well as making most of the weapons. There was a couple that came from Franky’s brilliant mind and he enlisted Nana’s help on it. However, the actual details of the weapon were kept between the two and Paulie and the others were left in the dark. With all the work loaded onto her, Nana never complained, even though she cursed a lot.

“Ow, Nana-brat, with you as their shipwright, this ship can definitely make it through the New World,” Franky said as he inspected her handiwork. They were both standing in the kitchen with Nana standing on top of the counter to install a hooded vent.

“Tch,” Nana scoffed as the vent clicked into place, “I didn’t sign on to be their shipwright. I signed on to be their mechanic.” She shot a knowing look at Franky. “The position is still opened you know.”

Franky brushed a hand over the stove and then squatted down to see if it was level. “You think Paulie would want to go with you guys?”

“And give up being the Vice President of Galley-La? Yeah right,” Nana said, securing the vent in with some screws, “And you know there’s only one shipwright good enough for this ship and it’s not me…or even Icy for that matter.”

Franky remained silent as he paced around the kitchen, going over every detail to make sure nothing was out of place. Nana jumped off the counter and wiped her footprints off with a towel. She frowned at Franky and put her hands on her hips.  _ Stubborn bastard. I know you want to come with us.  _

\--

On the last night of work, Nana didn’t even sleep. She continued to work on the ship with Franky and Iceberg, even when Paulie, Tilestone, Lulu, and Pygmy fell asleep on the scrap heap. 

“Ow, Nana-brat, why don’t you take it easy and go to bed? You’re not going to have any energy tomorrow when you leave,” Franky shouted.

“I’m fine,” Nana said as she hammered away at the top of the ship.

“What about you, Bakaberg?” Franky called.

“Why don’t you do that?” Iceberg shot back.

Franky grinned. “Sorry, but I’m feeling super energetic!”

Nana watched the sunrise from the edge of the ship. The light touched Water 7’s edges little by little. She took a deep breath and stared at the shining waters running down the water fountains from the top of the city.  _ How am I supposed to say goodbye to this? _

She gripped the railings and then peeked over the edge to look at Iceberg, who was busy hammering away on the deck below. He felt her stare and he looked up at her. She felt a lump in her throat and immediately backed away from the railing. “Actually, I am feeling a bit tired,” she announced loudly and she headed to the lowest deck of the ship, “I think I’m going to check out my new room.”

There was a pause in Franky and Iceberg’s work but Nana was too tired to notice. She went to the aft and climbed down the stairs to the door that she knew was her workshop. She opened the door and then she stiffened when she saw what was in there.

Iceberg and Franky had somehow managed to recreate her old room. From the hammock to the peg boards, it was all there. The only thing missing were the framed blueprints that were destroyed in the fire. Instead, they hung up a framed picture of a 7 year old Nana with Iceberg holding her certificate of identification, a photo of 9 year old Nana stomping on Paulie’s foot, a photo of 10 year old Nana standing in front of the Galley-La company with Iceberg, and finally a picture of 13 year old Nana standing next to her first working cannon with Pygmy by her side. 

She walked up the drafting desk in the corner and gasped when she saw a tiny metal figurine. It was rusted and very old. It sat on top of a note that just said  _ 7 Bellis. _ Her eyes started to fill with tears. “Franky was right...you are a Bakaberg,” Nana muttered.

“Oh my…” Iceberg said from the doorway, “I never want to hear you say ‘Franky was right’ again.” 

Nana turned around. “Where did you get these photos anyways? I thought all our stuff got burned.”

“Those were all Paulie’s,” Iceberg replied, “I’m not the only person who watched you grow over these years you know.” 

“I fucking hate goodbyes,” Nana muttered as a means to end the conversation before it got too hard.

Iceberg nodded his head, “Then we won’t say it.”

“Great,” Nana said and then suddenly she rushed forward and gave him the hardest hug she had ever given him. She buried her face in his chest and she started to cry. “What if I never come back? What if I come back and you’ve become a more useless and selfish human being, who never gets any work done?”

“Oh my...is that what you think of me?” Iceberg asked with a sad smile.

“Is Paulie going to make sure you’re actually doing some work? Who is going to check the seatrains when Aqua Laguna comes in? Tilestone?” Nana sobbed, “He wouldn’t know what to do with the frog catcher! Who is going to keep all the shipwrights in line? Who is going to build all the weapons? Who is going to conduct the interviews for your new secretary? Because god knows you did a piss poor job last time.”

“Shhhhhhh, Nana…” Iceberg said as he put a gentle hand on the back of her head as she continued to cry, “It’s going to be fine. We’re all going to be fine.”

“Will I ever see you again?” Nana whimpered.

“I don’t know,” Iceberg replied honestly, “But I will be seeing you.”

“How?” Nana asked.

“When my new office is finished being built, I’m not going to put up the wanted poster of Nico Robin...I’m going to put up this,” he said. Iceberg took out a piece of paper from his back pocket and he unfolded it for Nana to see. It was a wanted poster with a picture of her at Enies Lobby. Her face was grim and dirtied by the ash and canonfire from the Buster Call.  Her goggles were over her face and the lenses reflected the burning island, making it look like her eyes were on fire. 

“Wanted...Dead or Alive...‘Cannonball’ Nana...75 million bellis if dead...WAIT! 105 million bellis if ALIVE?!” Nana gasped as she looked at the amount, “Why the distinction?!”

“Well,” Iceberg said. A contemplative look came over his face, “I can only guess based on what you and Franky have told me but besides gate crashing a highly protected Government island, taking down a member of CP9, personally freeing Nico Robin, injuring the chief of CP9-”

  
“Psh, that was all Robin and Franky,” Nana scoffed.

“Spandam seems like the type of person who would rather say he got taken down by three people than to say he got defeated by his own prisoners and his own weapon,” Iceberg said with a shake of head, “But as I was saying...I think the high bounty is because of what you did with your glove.” 

“Niiiiice,” Nana breathed and then her eyes went back to her nickname, “Cannonball?! Why couldn’t it be something more badass? Like Metal Thunder...Or Steel Storm.” 

“Nana...I think you’re missing the point,” Iceberg said quietly.

She blinked and then sheepishly returned the poster back to Iceberg. “Oh right…”

He tucked it safely back into his pocket and he clasped his hands on her shoulders. “Your actions alone granted you a 75 million bellis bounty, but I believe the extra amount is because of the glove. We both know that Government will do whatever it takes to get their hands on a powerful weapon and the person who could create one. You’ll need to be extra careful of who you use it in front of, do you understand?”

Nana nodded solemnly and Iceberg let out a small smile. “With that being said...As your caretaker, I probably shouldn’t say that I’ll be looking forward to seeing you in newspapers and posters...but I will...so raise some hell so I can see how you’re doing, okay?” 

Nana snorted, “Yeah. That’s pretty much the worst advice you could give to someone,” Then she grinned up at him, “But you know what?”

“What?” 

“You did a pretty damn good job raising me,” she said before hugging him again. This time she was grinning from ear to ear. “We had a fucking great time together, didn’t we?”

“Yeah...Yeah, we did.” 


	26. Don't Cry

Nana was sleeping with her arm draped over a very warm and furry Pygmy when she heard the afro twins calling. She opened her eyes and sat up to see that Iceberg was sound asleep on the other side of her.

“Hey! Franky! We’re here! Give us our ship!” Luffy called from a distance.

“Icy,” she grunted and nudged him with her foot, “Wake up!” 

They both slowly stood up just as Luffy and the rest of the Straw Hats came up to them. “Oh! Ice pops and Nana are here,” Luffy said excitedly.

“Where’s Franky?” Luffy demanded.

“Unfortunately, he had to go somewhere,” Iceberg said.

“Coward,” Nana muttered under her breath. 

“But the ship is completed. I’ll show it to you in place of Franky,” Iceberg continued.

Iceberg and Nana each went to an end of the ship and gripped the white fabric that was concealing it. “This ship is really incredible,” Nana grinned.

“When I saw Franky’s blueprints, my eyes opened wide in surprise,” Iceberg agreed, “It can sail through any kind of sea! With this ship, going to the end of the world isn’t a mere dream.”

Iceberg and Nana yanked on the cloth. “Here is Franky’s message to you, Straw Hat,” Iceberg exclaimed, “If you’re going to be King of the Pirates someday…board the ship that is the King of Animals!”

The cloth fell down to the ground revealing a beautiful, red and yellow brig sloop. The masthead was that of a majestic lion...at least that’s what Franky claimed it to be. Nana was convinced it was a half peeled orange with a face painted on the fruit but Franky had thrown such a fit she decided to just let it go.

“WHOAHHHHHH!” The Straw Hats were in awe as they all raced onto the ship to get a closer look. 

Nana watched from the dock and crossed her arms over her chest.  “Icy, can you give them the tour?” she asked.

“Oh my…” Iceberg said, “You’re not going to go on the ship?”

“I’ll have plenty of time to be on the ship later,” Nana replied softly as she sat down on the ground and turned her back to the ship. She gazed at the city, “I don’t have much time to be  _ here… _ ”

She looked over at Lulu, Tilestone, and Paulie, who were starting to wake up. 

“Morning,” she said forcing a grin, “It’s my last day. You guys must be thrilled to finally be getting rid of me.”

“AHHHH! NANA-SAN. I’M GOING TO MISS YOU!” Tilestone roared, shocking the other still drowsy shipwrights.

“Are you never quiet?!” Paulie shouted angrily at him.

“No goodbyes!” Nana snapped at the same time.

* * *

Sanji stood transfixed in the center of the kitchen. He moved his eyes slowly, taking in every little detail of his new domain, and his hands were stuck to his side as if everything around him would all disappear by touch. “I must be dreaming…” he murmured, “Or else I’m dead.”

The cabinets and countertops were exquisitely built. The top cabinets were built exactly at Sanji’s eye level while the bottom cabinets came up just below his waist. There was no doubt about it that they were installed with him in mind.

He stepped slowly towards the stove. It was an electric range, perfect for even cooking and enough burners for him to cook 10 dishes at a time. He flicked the switch for the vent that hung overhead and was taken aback by how quiet yet powerful it was. 

He moved towards the fridge and his heart almost stopped when he saw the dual combination lock fitted under each handle. Finally, a way to get Luffy out of the food supply. He moved into the pantry, but not without noticing the combination lock under the door knob as well. 

The pantry was the size of a small bedroom with shelves reaching up to the ceilings. There was a rolling ladder attached to the shelves and a dehumidifier tucked away in the corner to keep the pantry nice and dry. 

He stepped back out into the kitchen and a gleam of light caught his eye. He turned towards it and his eyes fell on a small, brass bowl that rested near the stove, with three small indentations along the rim. He picked it up to inspect it and noticed that there was a note resting beneath it. 

_ A kitchen for you is not complete without a place for your cigarette. Just make sure the ash goes in the ashtray and not in the food. - Nana  _

  1. _The combination lock is 373. And if you need it changed, just let me know and I can reconfigure it._



He folded the note and placed it in his breast pocket. He then put his hand to it as if imprinting the words to his heart.

* * *

 

“Hey, Ice Pops! Where’s Franky?” Luffy called down from the ship, “We’d like to say thanks.”

“It seems..he has no intention of seeing you guys again,” Iceberg replied, “Straw Hat...are you going to ask him to join you guys as a shipwright?”

“Yeah, how’d you know?” Luffy grinned.

“He seems to have realized it too,” Iceberg answered, “He’s not sure if he can turn you down if you ask him face to face...That’s why he hid. But well...his honest wish is that he wants to set sail with you guys. Franky genuinely likes you guys and wants to set sail with you but...he’s imposing a duty upon himself to stay on this island forever.”

“A duty?” Luffy asked.

“He’s being stupid and stubborn, if you ask me,” Nana grumbled.

“I agree, Nana,” Iceberg said with a quiet smile. He turned back to Luffy, “If you really intend to take him with you...you’re going to need to use force. Do whatever it takes. That’s the only way to free him.”

“His guys told us that too...but is that really okay?” Luffy asked with a frown.

Nana grinned up at her captain. “Well, I think I might know a way to force Franky here...but it’s not going to be pretty..and I kinda already mentioned this idea to Zambai already.”

“What?! Really?” Luffy exclaimed.

“Yeah,” Nana replied, “They stopped by yesterday to drop off us some midnight snacks and I had a moment to tell them about my plan...but like I said...it’s not going to be pretty.” 

“Ah! Nana-san! Nana-san!”

Nana turned towards the entrance to the dock and saw a group of people running towards her, dragging a wheelbarrow behind them. When they got closer, she saw that it was her favorite shopkeepers and their family members. “What are you guys doing here?,” she asked.

The auntie, who ran the hardware store, stepped forward, snuck a blushing look over at Iceberg, and then smiled warmly at Nana. “Nana-san, we didn’t want you to leave without having all your proper supplies.”

She gestured to the many bags that were resting on the wheelbarrow. “It’s not much but we all scrounged what we could. These are all things we hope will come in handy for you when you’re out at sea.”

Nana’s eyes widened as she looked at the auntie. Then her eyes moved to the owner of the bookstore, the leather worker, the tailor, the owner of the pet store, and even her favorite water-water meat vendor. “You guys…” she murmured quietly.

“Oh my...That is very thoughtful,” Iceberg said as he placed a hand on Nana’s shoulder, “Isn’t it, Nana?”

Nana hurriedly nodded. “Yes, thank you...You guys really shouldn’t have troubled yourself, especially after the Aqua Laguna and all of your supplies are low.”

“Oh, please,” the auntie grinned and put her hands on her hips, “This city is stronger than any storm. We’ll be just fine, Nana-san! By the time you come back, the city will be better than ever. Besides, you’re going off to represent Water 7 now. We can’t have you using subpar materials. You have to have the best and the best tools are found here!”

She then put her hand over her eyes and looked over at the ship. “That is a very nice ship,” she marvelled, “It’s a brig sloop, yes? I hope it’s big enough for the rest of the stuff.”

“The...rest?” Nana blinked just as a huge crowd of people with wagons and wheelbarrows came stampeding towards them.

“Ah! There she is. She hasn’t left yet!” they cried, “Nana-san! We brought you some stuff for your trip.”

Iceberg gave Nana’s shoulder a squeeze as she gaped at them in amazement. “It seems the entire city wants to wish you a safe journey.”

“Whoah! Look at all this stuff! Is it all for us?!” Nami shouted as she leaned over the railing to get a better look, “Is there treasure and gold?!”

Nana shook her head and fought back her tears. “It’s better...It’s a piece of home.” 

* * *

Nana looked up at the sky when she heard the distant but distinct sound of a cannonfire. “He’s coming,” she reported to Robin and Nami, as she moved the last bag of gifted food into the pantry. The two female Straw Hats were leaning against the railing of the ship. They waited expectantly for Franky.

“AHHHHHHH!” Franky cried. Suddenly, the cyborg was sailing forward through the air and landed head first into the scrap heap with his naked private parts waving in the wind and towards the city. 

“Wow, they really did take his swimsuit,” Nami breathed while Robin just rested her chin on her hand and kept an amused eye on the compromised cyborg.

Nana came out of the kitchen and grinned over at the exposed cyborg. “Looks like my plan worked.”

“Nana! What kind of shameless plan did you make?!” Paulie shouted angrily at her.

Nana gave a cheeky grin back and made her way down to the deck just as Luffy flew onto the deck with Chopper in tow.

“Franky!” Luffy shouted out to the cyborg and waved his swimsuit in the air, “Thanks for the ship! It’s the best ship ever. We’ll take good care of it!

Franky pushed himself out of the scrap heap. “Ah! I wish you a safe journey,” he replied.

Luffy gripped the swimsuit tightly into his fist, “Franky...if you want your swimsuit back, then you need to join us!’

“Luffy…” Nana warned, “You should probably not hold onto that too tightly...You know where it’s been.”

“Give me back my swimsuit!” Franky demanded, “You think you’ll get me to join your crew just by stealing my pants?!”

Without warning, Franky leapt onto the top of the scrap heap and he spread his arms and legs out wide. He banged his forearms together and posed in front of the crashing waves. “Owwww!” he shouted, proudly exposing his genitals for all to see.

The entire city screamed in horror and Nana let out a huge laugh.

“Nana, this is not funny!” Paulie shouted up at her, “You should be appalled at this behavior.”

“I underestimated him,” Luffy gasped, “What a strong-willed guy he is! He’s a man among men!”

Nami rushed over and smacked Luffy across the head. “He’s just a total perv!” 

Robin smiled at Luffy. “If it’s okay to get rough on him, I can help you,” she commented.

“Ice pops did say we could use force if need be,” Luffy recalled.

“But how?” Nana asked.

Robin crossed her arms with her hands open. “Dos Fleurs.”

Two arms sprouted from Franky’s lower legs. Immediately, all the men in the area turned a deep shade of purple. Nana clamped a hand over her mouth and she looked at Robin with a newfound respect.

“Grab!” Robin said confidently and then clenched her fists tightly.

The blood curdling scream of a man dying a thousand deaths emitted from Franky’s lips as Robin held firmly to his man grapes.

“AHHHH! SHE GRABBED THEM!” Luffy cried out as he winced in pain just from witnessing the torture.

“You’re going to crush them, Robin!!!” Chopper screamed.

“Wow...you really went for it, Robin,” Nana mused as she tried really hard not to crack up during the most painful time in Franky’s life.

“Ow! Ow! Ow!” Franky screamed as he grabbed onto his head and clenched his fists. He tried to wriggle his legs to relieve the pain but it was no use. Robin was holding on firm.

“Hey Robin!” Luffy protested, “I want him to still be a man when he joins us!”

Chopper pulled his hat over his eyes. “It hurts just to watch,” he whimpered.

“If you’re telling us, pirates, to give up the treasure right in front of us, we can’t back off unless you give us a good reason,” Robin called out calmly to her prey.

“Like I said…” Franky grunted, “I-I wanna stay on this island. I-I do appreciate you guys. OWWWW. In fact, I can’t thank you enough. I wanna go with you and help you out but there’s something I need to do here...OWWWWWW! That’s why I gave you the ship as a gift. Besides, I’m not even a shipwright anymore...this is the last ship I’ll ever build. It was my long cherished desire to build this ship...it’s indeed my dream ship!”

“I don’t think so,” Iceberg said as he walked up to his old friend, “I don’t think that ship has become the dream ship you’re referring to yet. Didn’t you say your dream was to sail on the ship that you built as it’s shipwright?”

Franky scowled, “What I wanna do has changed!”

“That’s not true...Everything you’re doing on this island right now is atonement,” Iceberg stated, “You’re still regretting that Tom-san died because of you. You dedicated your life to bringing together the punks on the backstreets and called yourself a bounty hunter to take down looters. All to help protect the city that Tom-san loved. To others it may not seem that way but this whole time, you’ve been trying to make up for everything.”

“Of course not,” Franky bellowed with tears coming from behind his sunglasses, “That’s not why I did what I did at all!”

“You quit building ships, which was your favorite thing to do,” Iceberg pointed out, “And have lived suppressing yourself. Are you going to live like that for the rest of your life? Even if Tom-san forgives you, even if I forgive you, nothing is going to change, is it? Isn’t it time for you to forgive yourself, Franky?”

Nana heard the sound of distant cannon fire and her arm shot up into the sky. She pointed directly above Franky’s head. “INCOMING!”

“What?!” Franky shouted just as something came crashing down to his feet. The impact flung Franky onto his back. The dust cleared to reveal a yellow duffel bag. “A bag?!” 

“It has what you’ll need for your journey, Bro!” shouted the Franky Family from the highest terrace of the city that looked down onto the docks.

“Mind your own business! It’s my life!” Franky snapped, “How can I, your boss, walk a way paved by my own underlings? That’s shameful!”

“B-B-But is it so bad if we care for you a little? You were the one who picked us up when we were just plunderers! Is it bad if we care for your happiness?!” Zambai cried.

“OWWWWWW!” Franky fell back onto the floor and started to thrash around. Tears started to stream out of his eyes like waterfalls and he grabbed his private parts.

“Damn you, Nico Robin! I’ll never forgive you!” Franky screamed.

“Robin, please just go easy on him!” Luffy pleaded, “I beg of you! He'll turn into a woman!”

“Idiot,” Nana scoffed, “Pretending to cry when Robin let go a long time ago.”

“What?! She did?” Nami gasped.

“It’s quite clever, don’t you think? Pretending to cry because of pain?” Robin said with a wink to Nana.

Franky sat up and put his hands in his heads as he continued to cry. “Can...can you guys...survive without me?” 

“We'll test our strength and create a new underground for Water Seven! And show we can definitely succeed!” his underlings shouted, “So don’t cry, Bro! Don’t cry!!! No matter how far you go...we’re your underlings for the rest of our lives!!!”

“Ow..ow..ow..” Franky sobbed, “ I can’t stop the tears.”

“LUFFY! LUFFY!!!”

Zoro and Sanji suddenly came rushing forward through the city and towards the ship. “We’ve got trouble, Luffy!” Sanji shouted.

“Your grandpa is back, Luffy!” Zoro added, “They’re at the opposite seashore. They’re looking for us now and they’re going to attack us!”

“WHAT? Why?!” Luffy exclaimed, “I thought he said he wasn’t going to capture us!’

Sanji and Zoro leapt onto the deck in a single bound and the cook glared at his captain. “‘How would we know? Hurry up and get ready to set sail!”

Nana’s eyes widened and she quickly scanned the crowd for Iceberg. “No...I’m not ready…” she gasped. She had been so caught up with getting Franky on board, she hadn’t even thought about what was going to happen afterwards. She gripped the railings tightly. Her eyes finally locked onto Iceberg’s. He gave her a small smile and nodded at her. She bit her lip and nodded back at him.  _ No goodbyes...We agreed to it. _

Luffy threw Franky’s swimsuit towards the cyborg, who was recomposing himself, and he caught it in his giant fist. “Now, come on board, Franky!” Luffy demanded, “Board my ship.”

“Don’t be so cocky,” Franky said with a smirk as he grabbed his duffel, “You guys are total amateurs who could only manage makeshift repairs and the Nana-brat is still too green for her to even appreciate the full beauty of this magnificent ship. It’d be a pity for this dream ship not to have a shipwright on board. I guess I don’t have much choice but to help you guys out! I, Franky, will be the shipwright on your ship!”

“ALRIGHT!!!” Luffy cheered, “We have another new crew member!”

Nana leaned against the railing and smirked as she watched Franky climb aboard. “About damn time, Franky.”

“Ow, Nana-brat,” Franky said as he jumped over the railing, “Don’t think you’re off the hook just because you’re already on the ship.” 

“What do you mean?” Nana asked.

Franky stood behind her and placed his hands firmly on her shoulders, anchoring her down. “Okay guys!!! I got her in place. Ready?” he shouted towards the city.

“Wh-wh-what are you doing?!” Nana cried as she frantically tried to get out of Franky’s grip but his iron hands were just too strong.

“3...2...1!” Franky shouted.

“COME HOME SOON,” the city chorused as cannons were shot out from around the city, emitting pink and yellow flares, “NANA-SANNNN!!!”

Nana’s choked on her tears as she let out a laugh. “What are you guys saying, you idiots?”

“You said you didn’t want goodbyes,” Iceberg said with a smug smile on his face, “So this isn’t goodbye...it’s a…’see you soon’.” 

“You guys are ridiculous!” Nana sobbed as different people started to shout different things to her.

“Be safe, Nana-san!” 

“We’ll miss you, Nana-san!” 

“Marry me, Nana-san! It’s still not too late.”

Nana snorted at the last one and she wiped the tears from her eyes. She waved to the city. “So long, you fucking bastards!!!”

“LANGUAGE, NANA-SAN!” a group of people gasped.

She grinned and then turned her attention to the shipwrights of Galley-La, “You guys better fucking take care of Iceberg while I’m gone! Make sure he doesn’t keep cancelling his appointments and for the love of god, do background checks on any new employees!’

She paused for breath. “Lulu! You better have figured out what the deal is with your hair by the time I get back because you are seriously one of life’s biggest mysteries to me!”

Then she filled her lungs to the maximum before screaming at the top of her lungs. “AHHHHHHH! TILESTONE!!! I’LL MISS YOU TOOOOOOOOO BUT I WON’T MISS SEEING YOU IN THE MORNINGS BECAUSE YOU’RE TOO FRICKING LOUD!”

“AHHHHH! NANA-SAN!!! TAKE CARE!!!” he roared back.

Then she started to yell out to Paulie but then she choked up when she saw that his nose was getting red. She had never seen Paulie so sad before. They looked at each other for a second and then she stuck her tongue out at him. He was taken aback but then he grinned and puffed on his cigar.

Nana gave him a little wink and then shouted towards the city, “Paulie needs a date tonight so if you are a single woman who likes to wear turtlenecks and long pants, give him your number! Ladies, he’s someone you’d want to tie down!!!”

“Nana! How dare you...” Paulie yelled and his face turned beet red while the whole city roared with laughter.

Finally she turned to Iceberg, who was still very much composed. “Icy-”

“Mizu Nana,” he interrupted sternly, beating her to the punch. He crossed his arms in front of him, “I’ve let you get away with a lot of things over the years...and I’m leaving you in the hands of Moronky, who is now the city’s most infamous pervert.”

“True…” Nana whispered. The lump in Nana’s throat got bigger and she could feel Franky’s grip slightly tighten on her shoulders.

“So...this is my last chance to discipline you,” Iceberg continued, “Don’t hit your own crew members.  Don’t fire a cannon without any warning. Don’t rush into a fight without thinking about the consequences. Don’t swear so much. Don’t forget to feed Pygmy. Don’t forget to wear a jacket at night or else you’ll catch a cold….and lastly…”

Nana was barely holding it together. Her bottom lip was trembling and she kept blinking to keep tears from forming. “Lastly, what? Spit it out, you bastard!” she choked, “The Navy is about to come!”

“Don’t cry,” Iceberg said.

Nana broke and tears spilled out of her eyes like waterfalls. Behind her, she could hear Franky sniffling too. She drew in a shaky breath and then she lifted her head up high. She took out her copper megaphone and put it to her lips.  _ Two can play this game, Icy. _

“ICEBERG-SANNNNNNNNNN,” she shouted so loudly that it echoed through the whole city, “I LOVE YOU...AND THANK YOU...FOR EVERYTHING!”

Nana smiled with satisfaction through her tears when she saw that she had broke Iceberg as well. His usual calm composure disappeared and he had his arm over his eyes while tears soaked through his sleeve and dribbled down his chin.

“Straw Hat!” Iceberg shouted to Luffy through his tears, “Take care of her for me!” 

  
“Shishishi,” Luffy grinned, “Of course.” He turned to take in the new view of his group and he thrusted his fists in the air. “LET’S SET SAIL!”


	27. Take Off

Nana waved to Water 7 one last time and then she hurried off to help the others. The ship was starting to pull away from the docks and they were about to head off to their new adventure.

“Wait…” Chopper whimpered next to Nami.

Franky looked around the deck and frowned at his new captain, who had taken a seat on a deck chair. “Are you super sure you don’t have to wait for one more person, Straw Hat?”

“I did wait,” Luffy laughed with a forced grin on his face, “Ever since I heard what Sanji told us, I tried so that our room in Galley-La was never empty.”

Nana looked at Sanji curiously. “What you told them?”

Sanji nodded while keeping his eyes fixed on the horizon in case the marine ship was approaching. “Ah, Nana-chan. I saw him by the docks while I was out shopping for food supplies. Usopp was rehearsing different ways to come back to us.” 

“I waited for him all this time, but he never showed up,” Luffy said a little too casually. He was sweating and even from a distance, Nana could tell see that the corners of his lips were twitching, “That’s his answer...I’m sure he’ll have a fun life too.” 

“Maybe we could wait a little-” Nana started to suggest but then she stopped when she heard the undeniable whistling sound of incoming cannons. Nana and Pygmy’s head jerked towards the aft of the ship and Nana grabbed her hammer. “Incoming!” she warned.

_ Boom! Boom!  _

Two cannon balls blasted towards the sides of the ship. They were just warning shots and hit the water cleanly. A big marine ship with a masthead of a dog with a bone turned the corner and headed towards the Straw Hats.

“Hey, Luffy! Can you hear me? This is Grandpa! This is Grandpa. If you can hear me, say something!” Garp shouted through a megaphone.

Nana handed Luffy her own megaphone and he raised it to his lips. “Oy! Grandpa! What’re you doing?! You said you weren’t going to capture us here.”

“Well...the thing is, a lot has happened since then...Sorry, but I’m going to have to send you to the bottom of the sea.”

“WHAAAAAT?!” Luffy cried incredulously and he dropped the megaphone. Pygmy caught it with his mouth just as it was about to hit the ground.

“Well...I’m not doing this as an apology for that or anything…” Garp replied, “But..I’ll fight your gang all by myself.”

“By himself?” Nana asked as she pulled out her telescope. She saw a marine holding a 32 pound cannonballs  in his arms and bringing it up to the Vice Admiral but there were no cannons around him. “What the hell is he going to do with that?”

Her eyes widened when Luffy’s Grandfather bounced the cannonball in his hand as if it weighed nothing and then he lifted it over his head. “METEOR FIST!”

The cannonball shot forward and exploded on the starboard side. The impact sent a large wave that pushed the ship sideways. 

“WHOAH! H-he fired a cannonball with his bare hand!” Sanji cried. 

Nana couldn’t believe her eyes. “That came flying at us with more power than a demi-cannon! Hey, Franky. Do you think if I make a something that-”

“SUPER not the time, brat!” Franky barked, “Let’s get out of here and  _ then _ you can think about building something new.” 

“We have no choice! We’re getting out of here now or our new ship will be blasted to bits!” Nami shouted.

The sounds of rolling metal caught Nana’s attention and she brought the telescope back to her eyes. “They’re bringing in more cannonballs! I can see at least three hundred cannonballs with more coming.’

“This isn’t good,” Franky growled, “A whole bunch of those things are about to come flying at us.”

“Full speed ahead! Zoro, Sanji, and I will take care of the cannonballs!” Luffy shouted.

“Wait!” Franky barked. He looked over at Nana, “Ow, Nana-brat. I think it’s time you showed them your contribution to this ship.”

Nana grinned and then ran to the steering wheel. There were two knobs on the wheel. One was for turning and setting Franky’s special soldier docking system in place while the other one had a small brass button at the end. Nana pressed it just as Chopper’s nose twitched and he cried out. “He’s here!!! Usopp’s here!”

A small wave of energy burst from the center of the ship and the Straw Hats felt a strong wind rush from their feet and past their head. Three cannonballs came flying through the air. Zoro and Sanji instantly ran forward but Nana held out a hand. “Stop and watch,” she ordered.

The two skidded to a halt just in time to see the cannonballs bounce backwards as if it had hit an invisible wall. They fell into the ocean and out of harm’s way. Nana smirked and crossed her arms over her chest. “Nana Special. Repel Bumpers.”

“Woooo! That’ll stop any incoming cannonballs in the future!” Luffy whistled.

“Actually,” Nana corrected, “The magnetic shield is only at the front and back of the ship. We’re exposed on the sides and...it only reaches a certain height so it won’t block the cannonball flies in higher than 20 meters.”

“What?! Why doesn’t it protect the ship completely?!” Nami demanded.

“Do you want your heart to explode?” Nana asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Guys! Did you not hear me?! Usopp is here!” Chopper exclaimed again.

“Protect the ship!” Luffy ordered as he, Sanji, and Zoro walked towards the edge of the ship in case Garp threw some curveballs.

“Heyyyyyy!” Usopp screamed as he ran towards the ship, “Chopper! It’s a fine day today! Let’s go fishing. Haha! Well, I guess there’s no time for that right now.”

“That’s what he was rehearsing?!” Nana couldn’t help but yell with her eyes fixed on two cannonballs  that just bounced off her shield.

“Oh yeah! I’ve got good news!” Usopp continued to shout, “Believe it or not, when I’m back, I don’t mind becoming your Vice Captain! What do you think? Well?!”

Nana raised her eyebrows and shot a look at Sanji, who shook her head at her. “Not until he apologizes and owns up to what he did, Nana-chan,” he said solemnly.

Nana clenched her hammer tighter and nodded. 

“Hey, Luffy! Guys! I know! You guys are crying with joy over there, right?!” Usopp screamed, “Right? That’s what’s happening?”

There was a panic in Usopp’s voice that was starting to escalate. “Don’t tell me you actually believed that joke I made!...We’ve been friends for so long! There’s no way I’d say something like that seriously! Although we said all sorts of things to each other, we’re friends! I’ll let these little things go!...Hey...Guys...SAY SOMETHING!!!’

“Usopp…” Chopper whimpered,” “Luffy! Usopp is talking to us!!!”

“I can’t hear it,” Luffy grunted as he leapt high into the air. A cannonball was flying at him at a higher altitude and it bounced off his expanded rubber chest. It seemed the Vice Admiral had found the opening spots in Nana’s shield, “Nami! We need to get out of here!”

“Zoro?!” Chopper called.

“Can’t hear it,” Zoro growled as he sliced three cannonballs with one swing.

“That’s a lie! I know you can hear it!” Chopper snapped.

The ship was sailing farther and farther away and Usopp was getting tinier and tinier. “Come on, Usopp-sama!” Nana growled to herself.

“IIIIIII’MMMMM SOORRRRRYYYYYYYYYY!”

Luffy’s arm snapped back and his whole body stiffened.

“I’m sorry for being bullheaded!” Usopp screamed, “I was wrong!!!” 

Nana rested her hammer on her shoulders. She chuckled as she looked back at the sniper. “There we go…”

“Ow! Nana-brat, we’re not done yet!” Franky shouted, jerking Nana from her thoughts in time to knock away two cannonballs with her hammer.

Luffy started to walk towards the railing to hear Usopp so Nana quickly scrambled to take his place in repelling cannonballs coming from the side of the ship.

“I know I’m being pathetic...I know I said i was leaving the gang...but..is there any chance that I can take that back?! Can I?!” Usopp screamed through his tears and snot, “Please let me….stay with you!!!...I’ll say it again...PLEASE!!! LET ME JOIN YOU GUYS!!!”

Luffy drew back his hand and flung it straight towards his sniper. 

“L-L-L-Luffy,” Usopp sobbed when he saw his friend’s hand in front of him.

“YOU IDIOT!!!” Luffy blubbered as all sorts of bodily fluids came out of his eyes and nose, “Grab my hand already!”

Luffy’s face was all distorted as he bawled uncontrollably while pulling Usopp back onto the ship. Nami laughed at Luffy’s lack of composure with tears in her own eyes. Sanji cheered victoriously and Nana threw her head back to laugh loudly. 

“You guys are so lame,” Nami chuckled.

Usopp flew overboard and knocked his head into Luffy’s. Both men fell onto their backs onto the deck as they continued to cry with happiness.  Luffy leapt to his feet. “Everyone’s finally on board! We’re gonna hurry up a get through this cannonball attack so that we can get on with our next adventure, guys!”

“YOSH!!!” the Straw Hats cheered.

“Alright, Nana-brat, looks like it’s time for us to show everyone what we’re made of,” Franky said as he shifted his sunglasses, “Ready?”

“Yep!” Nana said as she raced down to the lower decks.

“Ow! Everyone, furl the sails!” Franky ordered.

“What?!” the Straw Hats gasped.

“Ow! Super trust me on this one. I have a plan!” Franky shouted.

Zoro and Sanji climbed up the beams to get to the top of the gaff. They rolled up the sails quickly and tied them securely. “Oy! Are you really sure about this, Franky?” Zoro asked.

“Dummy! Have faith in this ship!” Franky shouted, while the freshly reunited Usopp, Chopper, and Luffy danced around and kicked their heels up.

“He’s right! Have faith you dummies!” they cheered.

“GIVE ME A HAND, YOU BASTARDS!” Zoro seethed from above.

Nana ran back up to the deck and gave Franky a thumbs up. “Cola is loaded.” 

“Great...now one last thing…” Franky said as he put his hands on his hips and looked up at the ship, “We need to name this ship before we leave.”

“WHAT?!” Sanji snapped, “Name?! At a time like this?!”

“You can’t leave on an unnamed ship,” Nana stated, “That’s just not how it’s done.”

“Oh yes. That’s a very good reason, Nana-chan,” Sanji simpered.

“You changed your tune way too quickly, you jerk!” Zoro yelled.

“Okay! I got a name that sounds strong!” Luffy shouted as he waved a hand in the air, “The ‘Bear! Polar Bear! Lion!’”

Usopp immediately smacked him in the head. “No one would give a ship a weird name like that!”

“Then…’Tiger! Wolf! Lion!’” Luffy offered.

“Stop listening animal names like that! What is it? Some sort of a curse?!” Usopp scolded with another smack on Luffy’s head.

“Squid! Octopus! Chimpanzee!” Luffy exclaimed.

“Now you’re not even putting ‘lion” in it!” Usopp seethed.

“Well, lion is on the right track…” Franky said with a smile, “But the guys at Galley-La had another idea…”

“I still think it looks more like half peeled orange,” Nana muttered.

“IT IS NOT AN ORANGE!” Franky seethed. He then ran a hand through his ducktail and smirked at the Straw Hats, “Bakaberg actually saw the masthead as the sun... A ship that’ll cross a thousand rigorous oceans cheerfully, just like the sun...the pirate ship...Thousand Sunny.”

“Whoah!!!” Luffy and Chopper cheered.

“That’s better than the ‘Dumpling! Gorilla! Lion!’ name I came up with!” Luffy shouted.

“STOP SPITTING OUT RANDOM WORDS!” Usopp snapped.

“That does sound better than ‘Boss Lionel’ that I thought of…” Zoro muttered.

“It’s better than my suggestion of ‘the Happy Orange’,” Nana admitted.

“And better than the ‘Monsieur Sunflower’ that I thought of…” Sanji added.

“Have you guys lost your marbles?!” Usopp cried.

“Crossing a thousand oceans just like the sun...What a lovely name,” Robin said warmly.

“Wait you guys!” Franky interrupted, “That was just to start things off! The one I came up with sounds a lot better! Here’s my name for the ship!”

“Let’s use what Ice Pops came up with!” Luffy screamed over Franky, drowning out Franky’s suggestion, “I like it!”

“‘Thousand Sunny, huh?’ That’s a good name!” Sanji said while Franky continued to chant behind him.

“I agree!” Chopper cheered.

“I guess deciding on the ship’s name has helped us brace ourselves for departure,” Zoro said coolly.

Franky hung his head in defeat and he squatted down onto the floor. He pouted as he drew circles on the floor. Nana knelt by him and she gave a supportive pat on his back. “Sorry, Franky...Maybe you can name the next one ‘New Battle Franky, Lion Gang Champion’.”

“Oy! Franky, what are you sulking about over there?” Sanji asked, “Hurry up and shake them off with the secret weapon...or whatever.”

“We better hurry up,” Nana said with a mischievous grin, “The battleship is already nearby.”

Franky caught her eye and he smirked back. “Everything’s loaded?”

Nana nodded. “Three barrels of cola.”

Franky got up to his feet. “Take a last look at this beautiful city of water while you can,” he announced to the group, “Because in just a second, this island is going to be out of sight.”

“Well then…” Luffy said and he climbed onto the railing, “GRANDPA!!! And Coby...and….I WAS GLAD I GOT TO SEE YOU ALL THIS TIME! We’re going to run with all our might now. I’ll see you again someday!”

“ICY!!!!!!” Nana screamed into her megaphone towards the city, “We decided to use the name you came up with for the ship! I should’ve known your name would be the best because you’re great at naming things! We’re going to go soon and it may be a long time before I see you again so keep my damn poster up so that other girls will know they will have to answer to me when I come back!!!”

She paused and then looked at Franky before turning back to her megaphone, “Everyone in Water 7…on behalf of me and Franky, the two delinquents of Water 7, SUPER FUCKING GOOOOOOD BYEEEEE!!!”

She heard a soft roar come from the city but she was too far off to make out any actual words. She raised her telescope to her eyes and saw that everyone was crying and waving frantically at them. 

“Alright, here we go,” Franky said as he made his way down to the deck.

Suddenly, something dark and enormous caught Nana’s eyes and she looked over at the marine ship. They had pulled out a large iron ball that was bigger than the ship itself.

“What the hell is that?!” she roared.

“AHHH! We’re going to die!” Usopp screeched, “No way we’ll survive that! That’s not possible!”

“Franky! Hurry up!” Nana shouted as she dug into her bag and pulled out a metal glove that only had three finger holds attached to it.

“NANA!” the Straw Hats protested but she winked back at them.

“Relax, this is still a work in progress so it’s not as powerful,” she scoffed as she raised her hand above her head.

The iron ball came flying towards the ship and it casted a dark shadow over the Thousand Sunny, blocking out the sky and the sun.

“AHHH! We’re going to die!” Sanji, Chopper, and Usopp cried.

“NANA SPECIAL!” Nana shouted as she turned her dial, “Gravity Lock!”

The big iron ball froze in its track but Nana’s hand started to shake. “HURRY THE FUCK UP, FRANKY. I CAN’T HOLD IT FOR THAT LONG!”

“Ready!” came Franky’s muffled reply from below deck, “Coup...de….Burst!”

The ship shot off like a rocket just as Nana’s glove cracked and the iron ball smashed into the sea. The Thousand Sunny sailed through the air while the Straw Hats gasped in awe.

“This is an emergency accelerator made with a huge air cannon, taking advantage of the strength of the treasure tree Adam,” Nana explained as she put her goggles over her eyes, “It consumes three barrels of cola-”

“And it’ll allow us to fly one kilometer in the air,” Franky finished as he climbed back onto the lawn deck, “This ship can do everything the Going Merry can. It exceeds the Merry in every way...But the Merry’s brave soul will be inherited by the Thousand Sunny. If it breaks down, Nana-brat and I will fix it perfectly.”

“When it comes to the weapons or anything mechanical, you can rely on me,” Nana said with a grin, “If there’s an issue with the oven, Sanji, let me know. If you need me to inspect your swords, Zoro, come to me. If you need me to make any gadgets or updates on your weapons, I can help.” 

“From today on, this is your ship!” Franky shouted and the Straw Hats cheered.

* * *

Soon, they were back on the sea with a festive picnic spread on the lawn deck. Each of them held a goblet of beer, with orange juice for Chopper, with a smile on their faces.

“Ready?” Luffy asked as he got up to his feet.

“Yeah!” his crew answered back.

“Well then...once again,” Luffy said as he thrusted his goblet up in the air, “To Robin and Usopp, who came back to us...to our new friends, Franky, Nana, and Pygmy...and to our pirate ship, the Thousand Sunny! CHEERS!”

They smashed their goblets together. “Cheers!” they laughed.

“OH! And to our new bounties too!!!” Luffy exclaimed. This time, there was less enthusiasm. Chopper and Sanji looked considerably down and Nami was enraged.

“That is not something to celebrate!” Nami shouted.

“Why not?” Nana asked.

Nami threw the stack of bounties in front of Nana and she looked through them. “Your picture looks great, Nami, and you have a pretty high bounty. Why are you so upset?” 

“Because now people will be coming after me!” Nami seethed, “It’s bad enough that when Luffy or Zoro get recognized but now we all have to be extra careful.”

Nana flipped through to the next wanted poster and immediately Sanji covered it with his hands, “No, Nana-chan! Please don’t look at it. It’s so embarrassing. The idiots in the Government didn’t get a photo of me so they just got a crackpot artist to draw something stupid!”

Nana swatted his hands away and then her eyes widened.  _ My drawing! How did the Government get my sketch?! I think Lulu took it...did he drop it when he was at Enies Lobby?! _

She looked guiltily at Sanji and she found she didn’t have the courage to admit it was all her fault.  “But...But...your bounty is pretty high,” Nana said weakly.

“But mine isn’t!” Chopper wailed, “50 bellis, Nana! 50!!! They think I’m the pet. THE PET!”

Pygmy growled and Chopper looked at him with eyes widened.

“I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with being a pet...it’s just that…,” Chopper stammered and then he tearfully turned to Zoro, “I fought like a man..Didn’t I, Zoro? I fought like a man!”

“Ah, yes you did,” Zoro growled, “The bounty doesn’t mean anything. Just don’t think about it.”

“Easy for you to say! You have an actual picture!” Sanji roared and he lunged for Zoro.

“And the second highest bounty!” Chopper shouted, turning into his human form and diving into the fight.

Robin laughed softly and rested her chin in her hand. “What energetic nakamas we have, right, Weaponsmith?”

Nana stared blankly back at Robin at first but then a smile drew across her face. “Right.” 


	28. Mornings

****After a couple days out at sea, the Straw Hats had gotten themselves very comfortable in their new home, including Franky, who built a corner bed for himself in Usopp’s workshop. No one seemed to mind that Nana and Franky got their own room as the rest of the Straw Hats preferred to sleep above deck and secretly the men were worried that the hanging beds would not be able to support the cyborg’s weight.

Still, Nana felt a little guilty for having her own private space. To make up for it, Nana made a metal watering can for Robin to use in her garden and built Nami a pocket telescope so she could look further into the horizon.

It turned out it was a good thing for Nana to sleep separately from the other women as her sleep schedule was very erratic and second only to her captain. Depending on what she wanted to build or create, she would sometimes work well into the night and wouldn’t get to bed until the morning. She wouldn’t wake up until noon and then sometimes it would be the exact opposite. She would go to bed early and then start working at the crack of dawn.

It put the cook in somewhat of a bind as he wasn’t sure whether to count her in for breakfast. He knew that even if she didn’t show up, Luffy would happily take her share so he decided just to err on the side of caution and have a serving for her ready. Until the day that he found her in his kitchen at five o’clock, blinking groggily at his cabinets, which were flung wide open.

“Nana-chan!” he cried, causing her to jump in surprise, “Good morning, my beautiful angel!”

She turned towards him and pointed an accusing finger at the opened shelves. “Where do you keep the tea?” she demanded.

_So the angel isn’t a morning person._

The sappy grin on Sanji’s face did not falter. He brushed past the grumpy angel. “Black or green?”

“Black.” Her harsh and clipped tone sounded more like a gunshot than a human voice.

“How strong?”

“Very.”

“I could make you coffee instead if you want something that will help wake you up?”

“Did I ask for coffee?” Nana shot back.

Sanji nodded dutifully and took out a jar filled with loose black tea leaves. He set it on the counter and proceeded to fill up a tea kettle with water. “What would you like for breakfast? I can make you some sweet pancakes to go with your tea?”

Nana rubbed her tired eyes and shook her head. “No, I’ll just have an apple or something.”

“That is not enough for breakfast.”

Nana scowled over at Sanji. “I’d prefer to eat something I wouldn’t need utensils for...Something I can eat with one hand so I can work with the other.”

Sanji nodded as he pulled out a tea strainer and a teapot from the shelves. “I can make you something, Nana-chan. Did you just wake up?”

Nana let out a tired sigh. “How can I wake up if I’ve never been asleep.”

Sanji almost dropped the glass teapot. He gaped at the angel. He noticed the dark bags that were starting to appear under her eyes and her usually lightly tanned skin was paler by a couple of shades for being on the lower decks so much. “You haven’t slept yet?!”

Nana dragged herself around the counter and took a seat on the stool, facing the kitchen. She buried her head in her hands. “I can’t sleep right now. I think I found a way to stabilize the magnetic field and set a limitation cap on it so that the...Ugh. You don’t want to hear all of this, do you?”

The kettle whistled and Sanji turned to take the water off the heat. “Nana-chan, you can talk to me about anything but you need to get some sleep,” he insisted, “Not just for your health but so that you are alert in case anything happens. You are on a pirate ship after all.”

Nana stiffened and she looked up at Sanji, who was lighting his first cigarette of the day. She watched silently as he filled the teapot half with water, swirled around the hot water until the pot was heated, and then dumped the water into the sink. He fitted the strainer to the top of the teapot.

“I didn’t even think about that…and...why did you dump out the water?”

He began to pour the water through the strainer. “You have to warm the vessel in order to get the optimum flavor of the leaves, Nana-chan,” Sanji answered, “And of course you didn’t think about it. It’s understandable. This is your first week as a pirate. It takes some getting used to.”

“Shit,” Nana muttered, “Good thing nothing has happened these last couple of days or else I’d totally be useless and-”

“No need to beat yourself up over something that hasn’t happened,” Sanji assured her. As the tea steeped, he walked over to the pantry and grabbed a couple of glass jars and produce, “I didn’t say it to admonish you either. I am saying it because I genuinely care.”

“Should I develop a sleep schedule like you guys then?” Nana muttered, “I don’t think I can run on minimal sleep like Zoro and get by with power naps.”

Sanji raised an eyebrow at her while mixing some flour, eggs, and water into a bowl. “Don’t model your life after that shitty morimo. And you don’t have to adopt a sleep schedule. Our own captain doesn’t. You just need to make sure you’re getting sleep in general.”

Nana nodded as she leaned her chin against the palm of her hand and watched the chef work. He put in so much thought to every step, even when making something as simple as tea. She watched him expertly dice an array of produce. His knife tapped rhythmically along the cutting board as his motions began to move into a graceful blur.

“Your knife skills are amazing,” Nana murmured, “I’m surprised you don’t fight with them.”

“A cook’s hands are his life, Nana-chan,” Sanji replied without looking up from his cutting board, “I can’t afford to damage them.”

Nana yawned. “That makes sense,” she said sleepily. Sanji put down his knife and poured her tea into the nearest mug that happened to have ”Kiss the Cook, Kick the Morimo” scrawled at the front of it.

Nana snorted.  “Nice mug.”

Sanji looked at the writing and he smiled. “Oh yeah. I forgot about this one. Usopp and Chopper came across this shop that you can personalize your own mugs. They made everyone mugs. The shitty morimo’s says “Please keep me clean, a scratch on the back is a mug’s shame.”

Nana laughed. “All Usopp-sama’s idea, isn’t it?”

Sanji nodded and handed her the mug. “Why do you call him Usopp-sama?”

Nana shrugged as she took a big gulp. “Ah, that’s good,” she sighed with content and then glanced up at the cook as he returned to his cooking, “It was just a silly bet at first but...the man deserves respect, don’t you think? He’s smart, loyal...”

Then she smirked against her cup as she took another sip. “And he’s got a girl to go back to.”

“Oh, you mean Kaya-chan?” Sanji said with a grin, “He told you about her too?”

“I asked him about the Merry and everything just came out,” Nana replied, “It’s sweet, don’t you think? Having someone waiting for you at home?”

“You have people waiting for you,” Sanji pointed out.

Nana almost snorted out the tea through her nose. “Yeah. A bunch of middle aged bachelors. Lucky me.”

“But what about all the fan letters and love notes that Franky said you get?” Sanji asked in surprise.

Nana waved off his comment. “Those can’t be taken seriously. Those are just letters of admiration. Besides, I don’t have time for love. I’ve got more important shit to deal with.”

“Love is important, Nana-chan,” Sanji replied. He presented her with a crepe that had a napkin folded neatly at the bottom of it so that she could hold it with one hand, “Just as important as food and sleep.”

“Whatever you say, Prince Charming,” she said with a roll of her eyes as she bit into the crepe. She smirked as she chewed, “Delicious, as usual.”

She jumped off the stool and made her way to the door with her mug of tea in one hand and the crepe in another. “I’m the type of person who doesn’t really think about food or sleep. What makes you think I think about love?” she asked rhetorically as the door swung shut behind her.

Sanji leaned his elbow on the counter and rested his chin in his palm. His eyes were fixed on the closed door, “It will be my honor to watch over all those things for you then.”

* * *

Under the watchful eye of the cook, it took about a couple more days for Nana to set somewhat of a schedule for herself. She began to sleep no later than 1 AM, mostly because before Sanji went to bed he would come down to check on her. When she slept before 11 PM, she would wake up in time to join Sanji in the kitchen. He would always prepare a hand-held breakfast and a cup of tea for her during those times.  She enjoyed watching him cook on those quiet mornings when no one else was up.

Other times when she slept in, she would wake up just in time to eat breakfast with the rest of her nakama. They were all crowded around the dining table and in the middle of stuffing their faces with the delicious breakfast that Sanji had prepared when the mechanic made an announcement.

“Okay, you guys,” she said with a grin, “Now that we have some time before we get to the next island and the weather seems to be good…”

She looked over at Nami for confirmation and the navigator gave her a thumbs up sign.

“There’s one more thing I need to calibrate,” Nana continued, “And I’m going to need everyone to participate in this one.”

“Woo, what is it?” Luffy asked excitedly.

Usopp leaned over the table so he could get closer to Nana. “A cannon? Are you shooting a new cannon?”

Nana winked at him. “Finish up your breakfast and then meet me out at the deck to find out, Usopp-sama.”

The cook  watched as the angel ate the last bites of her plate and then waited for her dog to finish eating his before taking both to the kitchen sink. She dropped the plates into the soapy water and looked over at him. “I’ll need your help too, Sanji, so can you come and then I can help you with clean-up later?”

“Nana-chwan!” Sanji swooned as he came up to her and clasped her hands in his, “I will do whatever it is you ask me. No need for your beautiful hands to touch these dirty dishes.”

“Don’t bother offering,” Nami said with a smirk as she got up from the table and Nana withdrew her hands from Sanji’s clutches, “Robin and I have never touched a dirty dish as long as Sanji-kun was in the kitchen.”

“Lucky,” both Usopp and Chopper huffed under their breaths.

“Of course, Nami-swan,” Sanji sang. He twirled to the navigator, kicking both Usopp and Chopper as he passed by, and wriggled in front of Nami, “I am a slave to love and will do what I can for my mellorines! I will willingly give up my life for you.”

“Yes, yes,” Nami said, waving him away as she walked out of the kitchen, “I know.”

Nana laughed and looked over at Robin. “What a dutiful servant Nami has.”

Robin chuckled, “I believe Cook-san’s services is also extended to us, Weaponsmith.”

Nana snorted as she headed out to the deck with Pygmy trotting behind her. “No one is giving up their lives for me. I can take care of myself.”

She marched to the center of the deck and motioned Pygmy to sit in front of her as the Straw Hats circled around her. “Okay, everyone, get ready for the calibration. It might be a little uncomfortable but you guys need to promise me you’ll stick to it?”

The Straw Hats all gulped and nodded their heads.

“Good. If you don’t, Nami, is it okay if I fine them 10,000 bellis if they don’t participate?” Nana asked.

Nami laughed. “By all means.”

“Everyone is going to participate,” Luffy shouted with conviction, “That is my captain’s orders!’ He raced over and started to jump around Nana, looking at her from every angle. “Where’s the weapon? Is it small? Is it in your pocket? Is it a new waterboard? Where is it? Where?”

_Thwack!_

Nami punched Luffy hard on the head and dragged him back into the circle, “Have more patience, damn it! Nana’s about to tell us.”

Nana folded her arms across her chest. “Actually, I won’t be the one doing the talking,” she said as she tilted her head towards Pygmy.

The Straw Hats blinked at the dog, who barked and wagged his tail. Chopper’s eyes widened.

“You? Are you a weapon?” the reindeer gasped.

“REALLY?!” the Straw Hats cried.

Franky lifted his sunglasses over his eyes and stared suspiciously at the dog. Then he moved his attention to the navigator. “Ow, Nana-brat. I don’t remember you doing any modifications-”

Nana squatted down and scratched Pygmy behind the ears. “I didn’t. This calibration is 100% natural and not at all mechanical.”

Pygmy sniffed the air and barked again.

“He said he needs to familiarize himself with everyone’s scent,” Chopper translated.

Nana nodded. “That’s right. Pygmy has a great nose. He once was able to track me even after an Aqua Laguna had swept through the city and washed most scents away.”

“Amazing!” Chopper breathed, “My nose isn’t that sensitive.”

Pygmy barked and Chopper squealed. “Ah, saying something like that won’t make me happy, you jerk!”

Nana raised an eyebrow, “What did he say?”

“He said, ‘My tracking skills are not as important as your healing skills.’”

Nana laughed and stood back up. “Okay, so are you guys ready? Pygmy’s going to sniff you guys and you should all just stand really still so he can remember your scents.”

“Yosh,” the Straw Hats said.

“Okay, Pygmy, go,” Nana instructed.

The large dog leapt forward towards Luffy and stuck his nose right in the rubber man’s crotch.

“AHHHHHHH! Pygmy, where are you sniffing?!” the Straw Hats, except Franky and Nana, exclaimed in horror.

“Pygmy, what the hell? Don’t get so close to my family jewels like that,” Luffy protested as he tried to push the dog away.

“No, Luffy, leave him,” Nana insisted, “That’s how Pygmy is able to track a scent.”

“What?!” the Straw Hats gasped and Nana looked to Chopper for help.

The doctor nodded defeatedly. “Yes. There’s a special kind of gland in that area for animals that produce a special scent. Pygmy’s trying to find that scent, which has our pheromones in it.”

“B-B-But we’re not animals!” the Straw Hats protested.

“We’re all the same to Pygmy,” Nana said with a shrug, “Just let him do his job.”

 _This is called a job?!,_ the Straw Hats all thought and then watched as the dog moved to sniff Luffy from behind. _That thorough?!_

Everyone felt a sweat drop down their own heads as Pygmy finished up with Luffy and looked around to find the next participant. It was Zoro.

“Nana! I don’t need your dog to track me-” Zoro started to growl as he took a step back but he was stopped by a sudden rubber man’s arms that wrapped around his midsection, pinning his arms to the side and holding him in place, “Oy! Luffy!”

“We already promised Nana we wouldn’t back out,” Luffy said sternly, “Now be a man, Zoro!”

“Be a man?!” Zoro yelled exasperatedly just as Pygmy stuck his nose right where his legs connected to his lower body, “GAH! Pygmy! Go away! Nana! What kind of pervert dog do you have?!”

Nana looked over at Franky and then shrugged. “I’m destined to be surrounded by perverts. What can I say?”

Franky grinned as Pygmy moved on to Nami.

“Wait! Nana!” Nami shrieked.

“Ah! Nami-swan, I will save your honor-” Sanji started to cry as he ran to the navigator.

“10,000 bellis...Nami,” Nana remarked and Nami immediately snapped to attention. She shoved the cook out of the way.

“Fine!” she seethed as Pygmy moved to the back.

When it got to Robin’s turn she smoothly crossed her arms and formed a tight knit fence of legs around her, blocking the other Straw Hats from view.

“Oooh, how refined,” Nana couldn’t help but whistle.  

By the time Pygmy finished his rounds, all the Straw Hats were glaring at the dog, who sat back down on the grass, by Nana’s feet.

“Okay now that’s over…” Nana said, “We begin-”

“There’s more?!” they demanded.

“Well, we have to test if Pygmy can actually differentiate our scents,” Nana argued, “It’s just a game of hide and seek. You guys don’t want to play?”

Luffy pumped his fist in the air. “Oh! A game! Winner gets all the meat for dinner. Loser gets nothing!”

His suggestion was met with Sanji’s kick to the head. “Why are you making up weird rules to this game?” the cook cried. Then he looked over at Nana, ‘What are the rules, Nana-chan?”

“Actually, I was thinking, if you are able to successfully avoid Pygmy, I’d make something for you,” Nana said with a grin.

“Ooh! A large slingshot!” Usopp shouted.

“A new katana,” Zoro grinned.

“A giant fishing pole to catch Sea Kings!” Luffy cheered.

Nana laughed and began to explain the rules, “Pygmy and I will stay here while everyone hides. I’ll count to 100 and then I’ll have Pygmy go find you one by one, in a specific order to see if he can differentiate our scents. I’ll go with him and when he barks, it means he’s within a half meter from you. If that proves to be true, then you’re considered ‘found’.”

“Do we have to hide by ourselves?” Chopper asked.

Nana shook her head, “No. If you hide with other people that’s fine. I want to see any type of situation that might deter Pygmy from tracking your scent. You can close the door behind you but obviously don’t lock it because that would just be cheating. Oh! The only thing off limits is hiding in the aquarium. Obviously if you’re in the water, he won’t be able to follow you. That means no hiding in a bathtub either or immersing yourself in one of the docks in our docking system.”

Robin smiled. “Sounds like fun.”

“No hiding in the girls’ quarters!” Nami immediately shouted and gave a pointed look at Sanji, “I don’t want anyone rifling through me and Robin’s stuff.”

A look of disappointment fell over the cook’s face. Nana laughed. “My room is off limits too. There’s stuff in there that can be dangerous if not handled properly. Don’t want you guys to accidentally shoot your brains out or cause an explosion.”

“What the hell do you keep in your room?!” Usopp shrieked.

“Not Nana-chwan’s room too,” Sanji moaned.

Nana rolled her eyes at  the cook and then turned to Franky. “You hide too. I know Pygmy already has your scent but you might as well join in on the game.”

“Yosh!” Luffy shouted as he ran up the stairs. “Let’s go! Nana, start counting!”

“Ah! So cheap, Luffy!” Chopper and Usopp cried as they ran after him, “You’re trying to get to a good hiding place first.”


	29. Hide & Seek

Pygmy found Luffy first, clinging onto the bottom of the mast head. He then found Usopp, who had wedged himself inside the kitchen’s chimney on the top deck. Chopper was discovered inside the service elevator that was stopped on the kitchen level. Nami was found tucked inside a cannon that was positioned in the aquarium bar. Franky was sneaky and hid behind the stairs of the mast head, where the control room for the Gaon cannon was. 

Zoro didn’t even hide at all and just meditated in the middle of the Crow’s Nest, claiming he didn’t think Pygmy could go north. Nana interpreted that as Zoro speak for “up” and reminded him that she was following behind Pygmy so had climbed up the ladder carrying her pet when he indicated to her to go up.

The only two people left to be discovered were Sanji and Robin. Pygmy was stumped. He sniffed around the entire ship and did not bark at all. After Nana and Pygmy looked through every room for the third time, the dog sat defeatedly in the middle of the deck and lowered his head. 

“Are you giving up?” Nana asked.

Pygmy whimpered and then lied down on the grass. Nana’s eyebrows raised to the top of her head. She pulled out her megaphone and held it to her lips. “Okay, Sanji! Robin! Pygmy gave up! You can come out now. You guys won.”

The doors to the men’s quarter was soon flung open and the cook emerged victorious, while Robin climbed down from the gaff. “Yes, Nana-chwan!” he cheered, “I can receive something precious made by your delicate hands. Are you impressed by my cleverness? Are you not falling in love with me?!”

“It would take more than a game of hide and seek,” Nana shot back and then looked up at Robin, “You hid behind the sails so that the wind would take away your scent? Amazing!”

“Thank you, Weaponsmith,” Robin said with a grin.

Nana then looked curiously at Sanji, “But I have no idea how Pygmy didn’t find you. We went into that room so many times. Where were you hiding?”

Sanji lit his cigarette and walked down the steps to the deck. “I wasn’t really, Nana-chan. I was sleeping in my bed.”

“What?!” Nana gasped, “How did Pygmy not find you?”

“My guess is because since our beds already smelled like us, Pygmy ignored it,” Robin mused.

“But...why didn’t we see you? Surely Pygmy would’ve noticed a bump in the bed spread,” Nana wondered.

“I sleep in the top bunk, Nana-chan,” Sanji replied as he smoked, “It would be too high for you and Pygmy to see it.” 

“How did you know to hide in your own bed?” Usopp marvelled.

Sanji gave a confident grin as he lifted his cigarette delicately between two fingers. “The most dangerous place is always the most safest place.” He then turned to Nana and smiled sappily at her, “Now what do I get from you, Nana-chwan? What are you going to make me? Oh! Anything you make, I will treasure forever!”

_ This guy has many sides to him, _ Nana thought with a raised eyebrow. “You’re a very complicated man.”

“Love is a hurricane, Nana-chan,” he shouted, balling up a fist in front of him to show her just how serious he was about that statement, “It is a complicated whirlwind!”

Nana scoffed as she headed down to her room. “Okay, okay. Whatever you say, Prince Charming. I’ll go make you and Robin’s reward now.”

“What are you-”

“You’ll see,” Nana called back just as the latch that led down to the lower decks closed behind her and Pygmy.

* * *

_ Thwack! Clang! _

Nana held up the burning piece of metal in between the fingers of her thick, heat proof gloves. She examined it closely, as if appraising a precious gem, and then set it back down on the anvil before pummeling it even more with her hammer.

_ Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! _

She lifted it once more for inspection and then nodded in satisfaction. She dunked it into a bucket of cold water next to her and watched the steam flow up from the surface of the water. She laid her product back down on the anvil and set her hammer down on the floor. She took off her gloves and pulled out a engraver from her pocket. 

“Okay, what should I engrave on this? Sanji? ‘Black Leg’? The Straw Hats jolly roger?” she asked as she looked over at Pygmy.

Pygmy barked and wagged his tail in response and Nana frowned. “Yeah...terrible…” she looked down at the metal, “Oh! I know!”

Suddenly, Zoro’s voice called out from the intercom up in the corner of her ceiling. “OY! Something’s floating on the water!”

Nana looked curiously at Pygmy. “What do you think it is?”

Pygmy tilted his head and then rested his head back down. Nana nodded in agreement. “Yeah, let’s finish first and then go up. I’m sure whatever it is, Luffy and the others can handle it.”

* * *

By the time Nana and Pygmy came back up to the lawn deck,  she saw that the rest of the Straw Hats had already gathered. There was a barrel standing at the center with a red flag tied tied to the top. The words “Offering of Treasure for the Sea God” were written on the top.

Robin was in the middle of explaining the flag to the crew.“‘Offering of Treasure’ means it’s a gift to the god.” 

“That bites!” Usopp complained, “So we can’t do anything with it?”

“Well, since we picked it up, let’s drink the booze!” Zoro suggested.

“Idiot!” Usopp squealed, “The god’ll get angry at you!”

“You can drink it as long as you pray first,” Nami said.

“I don’t pray to any gods,” Zoro growled as he walked up to the barrel.

“I’ve heard that booze is extra good after it’s been floating on the waves,” Nami said with a greedy grin.

Franky grinned. He left Nana’s side and went towards the barrel. “Then let’s try some then!” 

“It’s custom to refill the barrel with fresh offerings after you’ve emptied it,” Robin said.

Franky put his hands on the top of the barrel and began to rock it. “Alright! Let’s open this then.”

There was a faint clanging noise that came from the barrel and Nana snapped to attention. She closed her eyes to listen more intently, then her eyelids flew back up. “Franky! Luffy! Stop!” she gasped, making a dash towards them.

“Oy, God!” Luffy shouted to the heavens at the same time and he loosened the top of the barrel, “I’m taking your snacks! Shishishishi.”

“Luffy!” Sanji warned as he ran down the steps to stop them, “I think Nana-chan-”

A bright red flare shot out and exploded into the sky. It casted a giant light over the ship and turned the sky a fiery red. 

“What was that? What does it mean?” Nami asked as Nana raced over, knocking Franky to the side, just as Sanji approached the other side of the barrel.

Nana peered over the edge of the barrel and saw a small metal cannon with a now detached trigger. “That’s what I thought…” she muttered and glared at Franky, “How did you not hear the metal trigger rattling inside?”

“Ow! Nana-brat, no one is more sensitive to the sound of metal than you!” Franky said defensively.

“The booze flew out and exploded!” Chopper screamed.

“Not the booze…” Nana replied with a frown.

“What was it, Nana-chan?” Sanji asked.

Nana tilted a barrel towards Sanji so that he could see inside. “It was a flare...The rigging inside was done crudely. Very crudely. It could just be someone pulling a simple prank but...just maybe…”

“Just maybe…?” Chopper and Usopp gulped.

“It might be a trap,” Robin finished, “Someone may be coming after our ship.”

“AHHHH!” Usopp screamed, “It’s the ‘Open this barrel and inform us of your location’ trap?!’”

“Like I said,” Nana replied as she dumped out the contents of the barrel so she could repurpose the parts, “This was done roughly and quickly...So there’s still a possibility of this just being a halfhearted prank.”

“Or the curse of God,” Zoro snorted.

“Chopper!” Usopp ordered, not taking any chances, “Check the perimeter!”

“I’m on it!” Chopper answered.

A strong wind blew towards them and Nami’s eyes widened and she raced up the stairs. “Everyone, take your stations! We’re escaping to the south-southeast. A huge storm will be here in five minutes!”

“I don’t see a storm, but if that’s what she says, I bet it’ll suddenly hit,” Luffy shouted, “Nami, where should I steer the ship?!”

“Head straight for 2 o’clock!” Nami answered.

Within five minutes, dark clouds swarmed over the Thousand Sunny and heavy rain came pouring down. Thunder and lightning crashed all around them and the ship was swaying violently in every direction. 

“Crap! We’re getting hit by the head winds!” Nami exclaimed, “They’re going to push us back!”

The ship floor seesawed beneath their feet. Nana had one arm around Pygmy’s neck and another arm linked to her hammer which was anchoring her to the floor. Luffy and Chopper tumbled by her as the ship tilted dramatically and a strong wave crashed over the deck.

“Oy, Franky!” Nana called over to the shipwright, “Channel 0?!” 

“Ow! Good thinking, Nana-brat! It’s time we get out of here,” Franky shouted. 

Nami blinked and then she realized what they were saying. “Everyone! We’re bringing out the paddles!”

Nana gritted her teeth and looked at Pygmy. “Ready, Pyg?” she asked as she lifted her hammer.

“Woof!” he barked as Nana leapt onto his saddle, put her hammer on his back, and he ran forward just as the ship started to tilt the other way. They ran to the steering wheel and Nana grabbed onto it. 

“The main sail is set, Nami-san,” Sanji called.

“I took in the foremast!” Zoro shouted.

“Nana! We’re ready!” Nami shouted.

“Okay! Soldier Dock System,” Nana said as she rotated a dial in the center of the wheel, “Channel 0.”

The dial clicked into place, revealing the number 0 on both sides of the wheel, and she pulled the lever.  “Nana Special! The steam powered paddle…”

“OW! It’s the Paddle Ship Sunny!” Franky called out.

“Stop bragging and help already!” Nana yelled.

Steam started to shoot out from behind the ship, right below the Coup de Burst cannon. Large, circular paddles emerged from the each side of ship and it started to spin faster and faster. The ship plowed forward with incredible speed. Soon, they had sailed past the rain and the winds started to die but the dark clouds still loomed overhead and there was a thick dense fog all around the ship.

“Whew...we survived,” Nami sighed.

“Yeah...It’s nice we pulled through,” Zoro growled, “But what’s with this sea? It isn’t night yet, but with this thick fog...it’s creepy how dark it is.”

Nana walked away from the steering wheel and rejoined the crew. The temperature had dropped and it was quite chilly. Nana rubbed her hands over the sleeves of her blouse and shivered a little. The dark and cold night created an unsettling feeling in the pit of her stomach.

“Do you think we stumbled into that sea...the one Granny Kokoro was talking about?” Nami asked nervously.

“Oh Fishman island? Are we there already?” Usopp cheered.

“No...It’s not that sea...There’s a sea before that…” Luffy said with a mischievous grin as he decided to prey on the unknowing Usopp.

“Don’t tell me…” Nana gasped and she pulled her aviator helmet tighter around her head. Granny Kokoro used to tell her horror stories about the haunted sea by Fishman Island, whenever Nana came by her train station. It terrified her as a child and it still terrified her to this day.

Franky caught the look on Nana’s face and he couldn’t resist messing with the brat. “Don’t let your guard down...From the looks of it, we’re already caught in the infamous…Florian Triangle!!!” 

“No...no...no…,” Nana murmured shakily as she stumbled towards the aft of the ship.

“Oy, Nana! Where are you going?” Luffy shouted after her.

She opened the hatch that led down to the lower decks. “I forgot something...in my room...Let me go get it,” she muttered. She jumped down without another word with Pygmy dutifully followed closely behind.

“Ow. I’ll go-” Franky started to say but then Sanji put a hand on Franky’s shoulder and pulled him back.

“Allow me,” Sanji said as he went after her.

He headed straight to her room and found her squatting in front of her furnace with Pygmy sitting unusually close to her. “Shit shit shit shit shit,” she kept saying while poking the flames continuously with a metal rod. 

“Nana-chan, are you-?”

Nana screamed and jumped a foot in the air. She thrusted the red hot poker in his direction with one hand while covering her eyes with another. “Stay back! Stay back!” 

Sanji quickly sidestepped to avoid getting burned and punctured at the same time. “Nana-chan, it’s me! I just wanted to see if you were alright.”

The ship swayed from the motion of the sea and a loud moaning sound erupted through the wooden panels. Nana dropped the poker as she squatted back down and covered her ears with her hands.

“Nana-chan!” Sanji quickly rushed over and set the hot poker back in its place before it burned a hole in the ship. He covered his hands over Nana’s trembling ones and waited for her to look back up at him. “It’s okay. That was just the sound of the ship.”

“I know that. I built ships for a living. You think I don’t know that?!” Nana barked back, “But my body is just reacting on it’s own. God damn it! I hate being scared of this shit. I hate that you have to see me like this. Fuck! The whole reason why I came down here was so that no one would see me in this light.”

“I won’t tell the others,” Sanji assured her, “Your secret is safe with me.”

“Yeah, well, dumb Franky will probably blab and rat me out,” she muttered. The ship moaned again and she flinched, “I know exactly what he’ll say when he sees me. Something along the lines of ‘Ow! Nana-brat, if you’re super scared of ghosts pulling you into the water, you should just learn how to swim!'” 

“Is that what scares you? The idea of being pulled underwater and to the bottom of the sea?”

Nana nodded again and stared at the floor as her mind flooded with images of skeletal hands stretching out through tangled seaweeds and grabbing onto her ankles. “Granny Kokoro said that ships go missing all the time in the Florian Triangles and they reappear with the haunted souls of its passengers. There’s even stories about living skeletons.”

She gritted her teeth and let out a frustrated sigh. “You must think I’m so stupid and weak to believe stories like that and to be actually afraid of them.”

“I never thought of you as weak,” Sanji replied, “In fact, I think you’re very strong.”

“Of course you’ll say that,” Nana snapped, “You’d say anything to please a woman.”

“Yes,” Sanji admitted, “But I’ll never lie to one.”

“Whatever,” Nana scoffed.

“It’s true, Nana-chan,” Sanji insisted, “I’m telling the truth. I think you’re the strongest woman I’ve ever met, fears and all.” 

Nana’s head snapped up and gaped at the cook. “Really?”

Sanji resisted the urge to steal a kiss right there on the spot. The angel was looking at him with such wonder and confusion that it took all of his will power not to just devour her.  _ Idiot! A lady is in need. Focus! _

He tightened his hold on her hands, playing it off as a means to reassure her. “Of course, Nana-chan,” he replied, “You made it pretty clear that you’re the woman who doesn’t need saving.”

Nana wasn’t sure what to say. She felt the same secure feeling she had back in the Water 7 train station. Suddenly, the creaking and moans of the ship didn’t seem so scary anymore and her trembling had diminished considerably.

_ That’s right, Mizu Nana. Now is not the time to be a little chicken shit,  _ she thought as started to put her hands back down. She then peered cautiously at the cook,  _ How does he always manage to make me feel better? No matter when I’m sad or scared? Is it because he does this with every woman? _

She took a long, calming breath, and then let a smirk pull at the corner of her lips. “Looks like there is more power to your pretty words than I gave you credit for, Prince Charming,” Nana quipped, “I’m ready to go back up now.”

“Are you sure?” Sanji asked with disappointment. He wouldn’t have minded if they just stayed down here forever.

“Can’t exactly hide down here now that you’ve given me such a big vote of confidence,” Nana said and then she looked up as if she could see up to the lawn deck through her ceiling, “Besides, it seems we might be heading into trouble.”

Sanji rolled his eyes. “Yeah well, that trouble is usually Luffy...so yes, you’re right. We should go back up but...are you sure you’re ready?” 

“No more than I’ll ever be,” Nana said and stood up. “Thank you, Sanji.”

“Anytime, Nana-chan,” Sanji said. He offered his arm to her, “Although, now you’ve gotten me a little scared. Would you mind staying close to me so that you could protect me?”

Nana snorted but she took his arm as they made their way back up to the deck. “Alright, Prince Charming, let’s go.” 

Nana stopped short just in front of the latch and she reached into her pocket. “Oh yeah! I forgot. Here’s your reward from the hide and seek earlier.”

She held out a silver lighter with a curl engraved on the bottom corner of each side, resembling the curl of his eyebrows. She placed it in his hand.  “I hope you like it,” she smiled as she opened the latch and climbed out.

Sanji’s fingers closed tightly around the lighter. He planned on never letting it go. “No, Nana-chan,” he murmured as he opened his hand just to take one more look at it, “I love it.”  


	30. Bones

Nana and Sanji returned to the lawn deck with Franky looking curiously at the pair. “Ow, Nana-brat. If you are super scared-”

“I know. Learn how to swim and get over my fear of water. It’s on my to-do list right under ‘Create World Peace’ and ‘Give a rat’s ass about what you think’,” Nana interrupted and waved him off as she walked over to Robin.

Nana pulled out two silver bangles with floral vines engraved around them. She clasped it snugly around Robin’s wrists, “This is your reward, Robin. They are a few millimeters wider than those Sea Prism Stones handcuffs. They can act as a barrier next time someone tries to put them on you. There are eight clasps hidden in the design that you have to open simultaneously in order for someone to take it off...So-.”

“So not only do you have to know what to look for but you will also need to have multiple hands available to do it,” Robin finished with a bright smile, “How thoughtful of you, Weaponsmith.”

Nana grinned. “Just want to make it a bit more difficult for the marines if they try to take you away again.”

“Yo ho ho ho…” A haunting voice interrupted through the fog.

Nana let out a little gasp and her whole body tensed up. “Shit. Shit. Shit! What the fuck was that?!”

“Yo ho ho ho…”

Usopp turned towards the sound and then his eyes widened as torn sails and a splintered mast came into view through the dense fog.  “IT’S APPEARED!!!”

“A GHOST SHIP?!” Every Straw Hat cried in terror, except Robin, who just smiled up at it calmly.

“Yo ho ho ho…”

“It’s real?!?!?!” Sanji cried exclaimed.

“NOOOOOOO!” Nana screamed as Robin put a comforting arm over her shoulder.

“Yo ho ho ho…”

“Noo! It’s a haunted cursed sailor song!” Usopp screamed, “Plug your ears or else it’ll curse you! Pretend you can’t hear it if a ghost tries to talk to you. It’ll drag you into the sea if you respond!”

“Is someone on the ship?” Robin asked.

Zoro flicked his swords up so that the first few inches of his blades were exposed, “If he’s our foe, we’ll take him out.”

The ship continued to sail past the Thousand Sunny with the singing voice getting louder.

“WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF!” Pygmy started to bark loudly towards the passing ship and Chopper screamed.

“NOOOOOO! Don’t say that, Pygmy!!! NOOOO!”

“What? What did he say?!” the Straw Hats yelled.

“He’s saying...B-B-B-,” Chopper stammered, “Bones...Bones...Bones...Bones…”

“NOOOOOOOO!” the Straw Hats screamed. Nana immediately pulled her helmet further down to muffle her ears and threw her hands over her eyes.

A silhouette of a figure, resting by the ghost ship’s railing, came into view. As he floated on by, the Straw Hats began to see him clearly. Nana peaked out between her fingers just in time to see a skeleton, with a cup of tea in his hands, and an afro on his head. Pygmy’s bark got even louder.

“We’re on our way….to deliver Bink’s booze…” the skeleton sang and then took a sip from his tea, “Yo ho ho ho ho.”

Nana’s legs gave out and she dropped to the floor since Robin was too transfixed on the skeleton and everyone else was too much in shock to catch her. The ship sailed on by and the skeleton’s voice began to fade again.

“Did you see that just now? A skeleton was singing!” Luffy exclaimed excitedly, “C’mon! Let’s go see it! There really is a living skeleton! Sweet!”

He was about to dash off when Zoro caught him by the neck. “Wait,” the swordsman ordered.

Sanji’s eyes fell on the terrified mechanic. “Nana-chan,” Sanji gasped as he hurried over to her.

“Oh no!!! The haunted song took Nana’s soul away!!!” Usopp screeched.

“Sh-shut up, Usopp,” Nana muttered as she pushed Sanji’s hands away from her face and shakily got to her feet, “I’m fine.”

“Stop putting on a brave front, Nana-brat,” Franky huffed, “Just admit you’re scared.”

_Clank!_

Her hammer knocked Franky on the chin and then came flying back into her hands. “Who the hell are you calling scared?!” Nana spat, although Sanji noticed how her whole hammer was shaking as she held it up.

Suddenly, Zoro’s hand thrust front of her face. He was clutching a fistful of wooden sticks. “We’re going to draw to see who goes aboard that ship with Luffy.”

Nana gulped. “Do I have to?”

“Go away, you shitty swordsman!” Sanji snapped, “Don’t force Nana-chan to do something she obviously doesn’t want to do!”

“Don’t be selfish, Curly Brow. She’s not the only one who doesn’t want to go,” Zoro retorted and shot a look over at Usopp, Chopper, and Nami, “Two people will need to go with Luffy and make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid.”

Nana gritted her teeth and slowly drew out a stick. “Not going,” she whispered with relief.

“The shitty swordsman brings shitty luck,” Sanji spat as he drew a stick that indicated he was going. He glared at Zoro.

“I’m only handing it out, you pervert cook,” Zoro retorted, “I didn’t make you choose one so don’t blame this on me.”

Nana snorted and then looked over at Sanji. “Looks like I’m not the lady you should be worried about.”  She shot a pointed look in Nami’s direction.

“Nami-san?!” Sanji asked, following Nana’s gaze. His eyes fell on the stick the navigator had drawn. It matched his exactly.

“Nooooo,” Nami moaned and sank defeatedly to the floor.

“Don’t worry, Nami-san!” Sanji exclaimed. His natural instincts took over and he flew to her side, “Whatever danger falls upon us, I’ll save you!”

“Don’t jinx us!” Nami snapped back.

Nana watched the cook tend to the navigator and she couldn’t help but smile to herself. _Yes...I’m the one who doesn’t need saving._

The thought was encouraging and it somehow made Nana feel a bit braver and regain her confidence. She inhaled slowly, counted to ten, and then exhaled it all out. _I can handle this. I can handle anything._

* * *

Nana sat on the lawn desk with her messenger bag emptied out and her new waterboard on her lap. She was keeping her hands busy while waiting for Luffy and the others to return from the ghost ship. She gave herself tunnel vision and forced herself to only think about the contraption in her hands. What else did it need? Was everything in place? Was there anything superfluous on the board? Before she knew it, Nana was done and she was actually feeling pleased with herself rather than scared of her surroundings.

“Not bad, Nana-brat,” Franky said with a firm nod when she showed it to him. He weighed it with his hands, “This one’s heavier than your old one and wider too.”

“This one can hold up to two people,” Nana said with a grin, “Plus Pygmy.”

The dog in question started to bark again and Chopper squeaked. “Noooooo!’

Nana looked at him curiously, “What’s going on?”

“He’s saying ‘Bones! Bones! Bones!’ again!” Chopper cried just as Luffy came flying back onto the ship with Sanji, Nami, and someone else in his arms.

Luffy dropped his passengers like baggage. “We’re back!” the captain announced happily.

His carry-ons all got up to their feet and Nana’s instinctively reached out to Franky with her eyes locked on the living skeleton that Luffy had brought on board. He wore a top hat over his afro and a black suit with a blue ruffled bow.

“Yohohoho!” he laughed as he tipped his hat to the pirates, “Hi! Hello, everyone! Good day to you! I shall be imposing upon you here on your vessel!”

“Woof! Woof! Woof!”

“Pygmy!” Nana gasped as her pet sailed forward and knocked over the skeleton.

“AH!! GET OFF OF HIM! He’s going to be our nakama!” Luffy exclaimed. He tried to pull Pygmy off of his guest but Pygmy’s jaw was clamped down firmly around the skeleton’s arm.

“Pygmy! Get off!” Nana demanded from a safe distance away, “You heard Luffy. He’s going to be...Wait! WHAT?!”

“We tried to stop him, Nana-chan,” Sanji said defeatedly as he and Nami got back on the deck.

“We really did…” Nami added with her head hung in shame.

“What the hell is he?!” Usopp Franky, and Zoro bellowed at Luffy.

“My, my...They’re harsh,” the skeleton laughed.

Nana managed to pull Pygmy me off and she shakily took a step away from the skeleton. He got up to his feet. “Goodness, aren’t you a lovely lady?” he said gently.

Nana gulped and took another step back.

“May I please see your panties?” he asked.

“Stop that, Harassment Skeleton!” Nami and Sanji shouted from the side as they threw their shoe at the skeleton’s head.

“Yosh! I’m ready!!!” Usopp cried as he burst out from his room. He wore a string of garlic around his neck, a heavy gold cross, prayer beads, and a flag in the back that said “Evil be Gone”. He held up his cross and stepped towards the skeleton, “S-Stupid skeleton! B-Beat it already!”

The skeleton started to step away from Usopp.

“Oooh! It’s working!” Chopper cheered.

Luffy laughed at his crew’s ridiculous antics. “Isn’t he great? I asked him to join our crew.”

“I won’t allow it!” Zoro seethed and then he targeted his frustration out at Sanji and Nami, “You guys had only one job and that was to keep him from doing anything crazy stupid like this!”

“We’re ashamed of ourselves…” Nami and Sanji muttered.

“Now don’t get so worked up. Yohohoho!” the skeleton laughed as he spread his arms out into the air, “Come on inside. Let’s have dinner!”

“That’s not for you to decide!” Zoro, Sanji, and Nami seethed.

Nana held onto the neck of Pygmy, who was trying very hard to break away so he could get another taste of the skeleton. “Easy, Pyg...” she soothed, “You don’t want to eat that...We don’t even know what that is…”

“Come on, let’s go inside!” Luffy said with a grin as he made his way into the kitchen and dining area, “Sanji! I’m hungry!”

They all took their seats around the dining area. Only Luffy, Robin, Zoro and Nami sat at the table with the skeleton. Usopp and Chopper sat in the farthest corner of the bench that lined the wall. Franky and Nana sat on the stools in front of the kitchen island where Sanji was finishing plating the food. Nana was still shaking but she found some comfort in being near Franky and Sanji. Pygmy sat obediently by her feet but only because he was under direct orders from Nana to stay there. He gazed longingly at Brook.

“Yohohoho! What an amazing kitchen and dining area,” the skeleton laughed.

“Of course. It was made from the hands of an angel,” Sanji sang out with fervor as he sauteed away at the stove, “A work of art, if you ask me.”

Nana grinned at him. “Thanks, Prince Charming. Glad you like it.”

“Like is putting it mildly, Nana-chan,” Sanji said, “This kitchen is-”

“I can’t wait to eat!” the skeleton interrupted and directed Nana’s attention back to him. Sanji suppressed the urge to fling the hot pan at his head.

“I haven’t had a decent meal in decades. I’ve had to endure terrible agony every day. My belly has caved in all the way to my back...AH!” He opened his shirt to expose his spine. “Although, I have no belly since I am a skeleton. YOHOHOHOHO! Skull joke!!!”

“Skull joke!!!” Luffy laughed with him, while everyone else nervously kept quiet.

“As a gentleman, I adore the laid-back time spent while waiting for my meal,” the skeleton commented as he adjusted the bow on his neck and then he clinked his utensils together. “Dinner, yay! Dinner, yay! C’mon baby!’

“Food! Food! Food!” Luffy chanted with him.

“Chef! For my drink, I’ll take milk!” the skeleton requested.

“SHUT UP AND WAIT QUIETLY!” Sanji seethed.

“Before I forget, skeleton guy-” Luffy started to say.

“My name is Brook,” the skeleton corrected, “Although...forgive me because I still don’t know your name.”

“DON’T TELL HIM, LUFFY! ONCE HE KNOWS YOUR NAME HE’LL USE IT TO DRAG YOU TO HELLLL!!!” Usopp screamed.

“Really?!” Chopper shouted back, “Eek! But then you just told him Luffy’s name!!!”

“AHHHH NOOOOO!” Usopp screeched.

“YOU TWO BE QUIET TOO!” Sanji shouted exasperatedly.

“Shishishi. I’m Luffy,” Luffy grinned to Brook, “But before I forget...what exactly are you?”

Zoro balked at his captain. “Wait! Just how little do you know about each other?!”

“Alright! Food is ready!” Sanji interrupted the conversation and laid out a spread of delicious octopi prepared in seven different ways. “Help yourselves! We can kick the skeleton out later,” he said as he presented the food to his patrons with a wave of his arms.

“Hey, Brook! Eat all you want! Sanji’s an excellent cook,” Luffy exclaimed.

“Ah! Now he knows Sanji’s name,” Chopper squeaked towards the sniper.

Nana steeled her nerves and jumped off of her stool. She took a hesitant step towards the skeleton and then drew in a deep breath. “Oy...you...Bones...” she said, trying to sound as confident as she could.

“Brook, my name is Brook,” the skeleton gently corrected.

“Are you here to kill us?” she asked.

“No,” Brook said with sincerity.

“Are you here to drag us to the bottom of the ocean?” she asked.

“No,” Brook said again, “I am a Devil Fruit user so I can’t even swim.”

Nana narrowed her eyes at him. “So you’re not going to drag us into the watery graveyard of hell, where all the souls of dead pirates are tormented by possessed water demons for all of eternity?”

Franky almost fell out of his seat. “Ow! What the hell did that old fish hag tell you, Nana-brat?!”

“Scary! That sounds scary!” Usopp wailed.

“Yohohohoho. No, I will not be doing that,” Brook chuckled, “I will tell you my story once we finish eating. I assure you, lovely lady, I mean you no harm.”

Nana’s shoulders slumped with relief and she grinned at her the skeleton. “Then I guess we can eat then.”

“Mmm mmmlmmmeaffy mmmf me mmoo meef,” Luffy complained with a mouthful of octopi.

“What?!” the Straw Hats yelled at their captain.

“Yohohoho,” Brook laughed, “He said ‘I already said that we could eat’.”  

“How can you understand that?” Nami asked as a sweat dropped down her face.

Nana grabbed some food from the dinner table and ate on the kitchen island, next to Franky, and furthest away from the skeleton. She believed Brook when he said he meant them no harm but she was still unsettled by his presence. She pushed her food around on her plate and tried to work up the appetite to eat.

“Nana-chan,” Sanji said gently as he took half of the food off of her plate and moved it onto a new plate. “If you’re not hungry, don’t force yourself...but just eat a little something so you’re not hungry later on.”

Nana looked up gratefully at the cook. “It’s not the food, I swear. It’s just-”

“Nana-chan,” Sanji interrupted, “You don’t have to explain anything to me. I understand.” He patted her hand reassuringly and then turned to set the plate in front of Luffy, who happily accepted the extra food.

Nana drew her hand to her chest as she watched the cook as he finished serving food to the whole crew. Even though he would snap at the men when they got too rowdy, he was attentive to everyone. He kept the vegetable heavy dishes furthest from Luffy and closer to Chopper. The fried food was laid out closest to Usopp and Zoro and the sweeter dishes near Nami and Chopper. Sanji had put in so much thought into the food that even it’s place setting was put into consideration.

He was always the last to eat. Nana had noticed that from all their meals together. Maybe that was why he was abnormally fit for a chef but then again, his slim frame could also be due to his smoking habit. Nana couldn’t help but wonder if anyone had ever warned him that he smoked way too much. Sanji seemed to keep a careful eye on everyone but who was looking after him?

“Ow, Nana-brat, if you’re not going to eat the fried octopus...”

Nana jerked out of her thought just in time to stab a fork in Franky’s hand as he reached over to grab it from her plate. “Back off, Franky. That’s mine,” she growled and started to shovel the food into her mouth.

_Why the hell am I noticing these things?_

Finally when the last bite was eaten, the skeleton shared his story. He was a revived human from eating the Revive-Revive fruit. He had died a hundred years ago but the fruit allowed him to come back to life. He was a pirate, just like the Straw Hats. His original crew had come across some powerful pirates and no one survived. His soul was revived but since he died in the foggy Devil’s Sea, his soul wandered through the fog for years so by the time he found his body, it had already turned into a white skeleton.

“So you really aren’t a ghost then…” Usopp said skeptically as he inched closer and closer to the skeleton to get a better look.

“Ghost?! Where?! I hate ghosts. I’ll start screaming if I see one,” Brook yelped.

“Have you even looked at yourself in the mirror?!” Nami demanded and she lifted a hand mirror towards Brook.

“No! Please put that mirror away!” Brook shrieked as he covered his face with his hands.

“What? Why?” Usopp and Chopper asked. They looked into the mirror to see nothing but the face of a long nosed sniper and a reindeer wearing a pink hat.

“WHOAH! TIME OUT!” Usopp screamed at the skeleton, “Why doesn’t the mirror show your reflection?!”

“VAMPIRE!” Chopper yelled as Nana got to her feet and clutched her hammer.

“Stay behind me, Chopper. I got this,” Nana growled.

“What? So you’re afraid of ghosts but NOT vampires? What is your deal, Nana-brat?!” Franky shouted incredulously at Nana’s sudden gusto.

“Vampire?! That’s awesome!” Luffy cheered.

“W-W-Wait, now that I look at it,” Usopp shouted and pointed at Brook’s feet, “You don’t even have a shadow?!”

Brook sighed and sat back down in his chair. “The story of why I am a skeleton...and why I don’t have a shadow are two completely separate things. A certain man stole my shadow a few years ago...and having lost my shadow, I am no longer able to exist in the world of light. I cannot live under the world of sun. I can only exist under this foggy sky. If I go into the light, my body will be obliterated.”

“Wow...Your life sucks,” Sanji commented.

“Even so, I’ve scraped by!” Brook replied enthusiastically, “Scraped right down to the bone. Yohoho! I am the dead and skeletonized Brook. It’s a pleasure!”

“Why are you so cheerful?” Sanji grunted.

“Yohohohohoho!” Brook laughed, “Today is a truly wonderful day! I met people!”

Nana looked out the window and could see parts of Brook’s ship. The wood was severely rotted and even through the fog she could tell that it had been neglected for more than just a few decades. She believed him for saying that he had been in a pirate crew many decades ago just by looking at the state of his ship. She started to think about all those nights he stayed on that decaying deck all alone and a cold, sad feeling wrapped around her heart.

“All my crewmates passed away…I was all alone on a large ship with a broken rudder...I merely rocked on the water as I drifted for several decades...I was really lonely,” Brook said softly. “I was lonely...and scared! I wanted to die!..But I’m glad I’ve lived such a long life.”

Brook stood up and lifted his arms victoriously. “People are such joy and I see you as a joy too! You’ve asked me to be on your crew and that has made me very happy.”

Luffy laughed.

“But..I must reject your offer,” Brook continued.

Luffy’s jaw dropped. “What?! Why?!” he demanded.

“As I just explained, my shadow has been stolen...I cannot live under the sun. I’m currently protected by the fog that blocks the sunlight here in the Devil’s Sea.”

“You can always stay downstairs and only come out during the night,” Nana suggested loudly, “I can also probably build you something that can create enough shade for you just in case anything were to happen.”

The Straw Hats looked at Nana in surprise. “Ow..Nana-brat, I thought you were afraid of him?!” Franky asked.

Nana took a deep breath and she smiled at Brook. “I know what it’s like to be a sole survivor and wander around without a place to go to...but I was lucky enough to have someone find me and give me a home. You didn’t have much luck on your end but I think it’s time that changed, don’t you?”

Brook was stunned at first but then he laughed. “That’s a fine offer but I can’t accept that as well. If I leave the Devil’s Sea, it’s only a matter of time before I get obliterated. I shall stay here and wait for the day that I can regain my shadow.”

Luffy slammed his palms down on the table. “Don’t act like such a stranger! If you need your shadow, I’ll take it back for you! Didn’t you say someone stole it? Who was it? Where is he?”

“You’re a really a great guy...However, I cannot tell you. I could not ask you to die for me when we’ve just met,” Brook replied.

“It wouldn’t kill you to just give us a name,” Franky said.

“No, my lips are sealed,” Brook said.

“You have no lips,” Nana quipped and then gave Brook a wink, “Skull joke?”

“Yohohoho,” Brook laughed, “Very good. But honestly, I don’t even know where he is. I don’t even know if I’ll see him again before my second life comes to an end...but if our paths should ever cross, I have decided to fight him.”

He then went to towards the door where he took out a violin. “I think it’s time for some music, don’t you?” he asked, “Instruments are my pride and joy. I was a musician in my previous crew.”

“A MUSICIAN?! I’VE ALWAYS WANTED A MUSICIAN!” Luffy cheered.

Brook laughed and placed his bow on the strings but then he froze and then fell to the floor.

“What? What’s wrong?!” Sanji shouted.

“G-G-G-Ghost!” Brook screamed as he pointed behind them.

They all turned and spotted a transparent bubble like creature that was floating through the wall.

“AHHHH!” the Straw Hats screamed.

“Evil be gone! Evil be gone!” Usopp cried.

Nana couldn’t move and she could only watch silently as the creature, whatever it was, disappeared behind another wall. “Wh-What was that?” she asked shakily.

The ship started to tremor violently causing the plates on the dining table to rattle and quake. Brook ran out of the room towards the aft and the Straw Hats quickly followed behind him. They had found themselves in front of an island that was covered in ruins and dense fog.

“By...by any chance, did you guys pick up a drifting barrel?” Brook asked.

“Yah, we found one,” Luffy answered.

“I knew it...That was a trap,” Brook said, “They’ve been after your ship ever since you opened it.”

“But...we’ve been staying in one place this whole time…” Nan gasped. She gulped and reached for Pygmy, who happened to be sniffing Brook’s hand.

“This is the ghost island that wanders the seas,” Brook said, “Thriller Bark!”


	31. A Race

Brook stood on the masthead of the Thousand Sunny. He was exceptionally light footed and was able to jump from the deck to the masthead in a single bound.

"Yohohoho! Please break through the gate behind you and escape with all due haste!" he advised the stunned Straw Hats as he tipped his hat and bade them farewell, "No matter what, do not drop anchor by the shore! Oh, it made me very happy to meet you today. Thank you so much for such a scrumptious meal. Take care and may we have the fortune to meet on other waters!"

He leapt off the masthead and into the water. The Straw Hats gasped and raced over to the railing to get a better look. "Isn't he a devil fruit user?!" Nana shouted.

Suddenly, a stream of water burst along the sides of the ship and they all turned to see Brook skillfully running on top of the water. "Yohohohohoho!" he laughed while he scurried out of sight.

"Amazing…" Nana breathed.

"I think we should take his advice, Luffy," Nami said as she turned to her captain, "I have no idea what's going on, but this island is clearly nothing but trouble."

"Huh, did you say something?" Luffy turned with a gigantic grin plastered on his face. His expression had "Yes! Adventure!" written all over it.

A sweat dropped down Nana's forehead. "I guess...we're going to the island, huh? I really don't want to go...especially if we run into whatever that ghost thing was back there."

"Eh," Zoro shrugged, "It's already left our ship. It probably went into the island where it came from."

"And that's exactly why I don't want to go!" Nana snapped.

"Hey...about that large tremor we felt a minute ago," Robin interrupted. She pointed towards the front of the ship where they could see a giant gate blocking their path. It was shaped like a mouth with red lips on the top and it's square stones resembled its teeth, "If that mouth-like gate caused it when it shut, I think that it essentially devoured us. It's hard to see through the fog, but the fence extending from the gate appears to surround the entire island."

"That's what the skeleton meant by escape…" Usopp gulped.

"Does this mean someone is making this island 'wander' the seas?" Nana asked and she tried to see as much as she could through the fog, "If that's the case, something must be controlling this gate."

She pulled out her pocket telescope and tried to spot any signs of mechanisms or gears but the fog was too thick and she groaned with annoyance. "God damn this fog!"

"If this island is moving," Franky surmised, "That means we're still in the middle of the sea. We can't drop anchor here."

"Whoah! Why do i get the feeling you wanna stay here?" Usopp seethed, "We've gotta leave now or we're gonna get cursed!"

"Listen, guys. I've come down with Fear-of-unknown-islands-osis," Nami said as she curled up into a ball next to Chopper.

"Same," Chopper cried, "I've come with it too."

"I don't know what that is...but I think I have it too," Nana said as she instinctively reached for her hammer.

"Okay! Let's take her up to shore!" Luffy cried with a fishing net in his hands and a small cage hanging over his shoulder.

"Do you have Set-for-Adventure-osis?!" Usopp demanded, "Think it over, Luffy! Open your eyes! There's a creepy building over there that's probably a real haunted mansion!"

"I'll be super careful. I'm going to catch a ghost and make it my pet!" Luffy exclaimed and then he looked over Nana, who was quite pale in the face, "Nana...I thought you'd want to come too! You were so eager during Enies Lobby."

"That was different," Nana snapped, "We were attacking the living! This time...This time we're messing with...the dead!"

Just saying it out loud sent shivers up her spine.

"Shishishi," Luffy grinned and then turned to Sanji, "Sanji! I want my pirate lunch!"

"I have your lunchbox, Captain," Robin said with a covered bento box in hand.

"Luffy...Franky...you'd better be sure to protect Robin-chan," Sanji said as he lit a cigarette with his new lighter.

"There's nothing like exploring an uncharted island, is there?" Franky exclaimed, "Ow! Don't worry, Nana-brat. I'll come back and tell you all the super great stuff I find."

"I'd really rather you not," Nana said, "And you're really going with them, Robin?"

"I simply love the thrill," Robin replied with a gentle smile.

"All right! So guys, we're going to take a small boat to disembark, but I've still got a special surprise I haven't shown you guys yet," Franky said with a gleam on his sunglasses, "Soldier Dock System...Channel 2!"

Nana, despite how much the environment was creeping her out, grinned at the cyborg, "You guys are going to use _that_?"

"Ow! Not us, Nana-brat. _You guys_ ," Franky said with a smile, "Since you want to avoid the island, you should give it quick spin."

Nana grabbed her water board but left her messenger bag on the deck before following Franky. He led Usopp, Nana, Pygmy, Nami, and Chopper down to the lower docks. and opened dock #2 for them, revealing the Mini-Merry, a paddle steamer boat that sits four. It had a mast head that resembled the brave face of the Going Merry. Nana placed a hand lovingly on the metal chimney. "Hello baby, did you miss me?" she cooed.

"Merry came back as a boat!" Usopp cheered when he saw the masthead.

"It's small but now we can ride Merry again!" Chopper cried.

"Woof woof!" Pygmy shouted as he jumped onto the boat.

"Oy, oy! This only sits four!" Franky protested.

Nana threw her waterboard down next to the boat. "Hey, Nami," she said with a grin as she pulled her goggles over her eyes, "You wanna race?"

Nami smirked and took the wheel, "I thought you're too scared of these waters?"

Nana took a deep breath. "Scared? Yes...Too scared? No. I mean, as long as I don't fall into the water, I should be fine. Besides, I'm confident that my waterboard is faster than any ghost or creature that could be haunting these waters."

"Okay," Nami agreed, "We go to the edge of the island and then back. First one to come back to the Thousand Sunny wins."

"Oy, oy! Don't do something so reckless!" Usopp complained, "We're just here to test out the Mini-Merry."

"She can handle it," Nana said as she jumped onto her board, "I know because I made it."

"Ready?" Nami asked as Franky started to open the door that led out into the sea.

"Set…" Nana replied while adjusting her goggles.

"GO!" they both shouted once the door was fully opened.

Nana and Nami gunned it and they burst out the ship towards the island, spraying water in every direction, including up towards the deck where it hit Zoro, Sanji, and Luffy right in the face.

"Ah! Two mellorines dousing me with their beauty!" Sanji cried adoringly from the ship.

"Ooooh! I wanna try! Gimme a turn!" Luffy shouted behind them.

"Which one? The waterboard or the Mini-Merry?" Zoro asked.

"Both! I want to ride them both at the same time!" Luffy exclaimed.

"Don't be stupid!" Zoro and Sanji snapped.

Nana laughed while the voices behind her faded out with her growing distance. The adrenaline rush completely took over any fears and misgivings she felt. She and Nami were neck and neck as they raced towards the island. The waves around them swelled tremendously but that was not a problem for either of the girls.

"Go, Nami, go!" Usopp and Chopper cheered, as they got caught up in the competition.

"Woof woof!" Pygmy barked.

"Oy! Pygmy! If you're riding with us, than you need to cheer for us. You can't cheer for Nana," Chopper scolded.

Nana smirked a little because Nami wasn't aware that Nana's waterboard had just as much power as the Mini-Merry. Plus, since it was just Nana on her board, while the Mini-Merry was weighted down from being at full capacity, she had acceleration on her side. She slowly inched further and further past the Mini-Merry. Soon she saw the wall of the island. She veered and did a quick u-turn, slapping the wall with her hand as she got nearer and then jetted off back to the ship.

"Ah! Nami! She's pulling ahead. She's already at the wall!" Usopp cried.

"I got this!" Nami yelled as she pressed her foot right down to the floor. The Mini-Merry and the waterboard zoomed past each other.

Nana kept her eyes forward as she listened to the engine of the Mini-Merry. She heard the sound of the engine and then her eyes widened. _At this rate, Nami's not going to be able to turn in time!_

Nana swiftly turned her own waterboard around just in time to see the Mini-Merry crash against the wall, sending its passengers flying over it. "AHHHHHHHH!" they screamed.

"Nami! Usopp-sama! Chopper! Pygmy!" Nana shouted as she raced towards the Mini-Merry.

The paddle boat was unscathed as it powered down on its own. _Score 1 for the metal bumper!,_ Nana couldn't help but think as she inspected the boat for any more damages.

Nana slowly rode along the wall on her waterboard to see if there was an opening she can get through to find her nakama. "Nami! Chopper! Usopp-sama! Pygmy! Can you hear me?", she tried again but got no answer..

Nana put her hands on her hips and inspected the wall before digging into her pockets and pulling out two iron chisels. She held one in each of her hands and she used them to climb up the wall, steadily stabbing it into the stone surface and using it as a grip.

When she got to the top, she sat on the edge and put the chisels back into her pocket. She looked down the other side of the wall. It was too dark and foggy for her to see the floor. She took out a small screw and dropped it into the darkness. She heard a light ping after four seconds. "It's not too high for me to jump...but I have no idea what is down there," she muttered to herself.

She reached into her pocket again and pulled out her metal glove. She fitted it over her right hand. She turned the dial and held it over the water. Her waterboard flew up and connected to the palm of her hand. She tucked it under her arm and walked along the edge of the wall.

She had just finished the glove a couple days ago and it was a full functioning one but the magnetic frequency only went as high as catching cannonballs at a ten meter radius. It was enough for her to use to grab her hammer and her waterboard but definitely not as powerful as the one she had used in Enies Lobby. Franky was right. She wasn't ready to use one of that caliber yet and she had to be careful if the government was keen on getting their hands on it.

She walked carefully as not to misstep through the dense fog while trying to listen hard for Nami, Chopper, and Pygmy's voices. Suddenly, she heard some faint screaming and loud barking in front of her. She quickened her pace and tried to follow the sounds. She saw that on the island side of the wall, there were stairs and they reached a point in front of her where the wall connected to the second level of the island.

She kept running forward towards the sound and down the stairs until she found herself running along a forest path. The air around her was chilly and murky. The fog in the moonlit forest made it look like a scene from any classic ghost story. Nana had been so caught up with trying to find her nakama that she had forgotten to be scared and it was all hitting her now.

She gulped and ducked behind a tree. She flipped her waterboard so the back faced her and she rapidly switched out the steam canisters for wheels. She took a deep breath and mustered all her courage before jumping on her land-mode waterboard and raced down the forest path.

The deeper she went into the island, the thinner the fog became. It was easier for her to see and then suddenly she skidded to a halt. There was a three headed animal in front of her and all three of it's heads were growling at her. The animal was five times Nana's size, with their legs the same length has Nana's height. The first two heads had bluish grey fur but the third head was curiously orange.

"Cerberus?" she wondered out loud as she reached for her hammer, "What the hell are you?!"

The three heads bared their teeth at her and Nana did the same to them. "Ghosts...and talking skeletons...I can't deal with," she snarled, "But mangy monstrosities...well...that's another story."

The animals sprinted forwards towards Nana. They leapt in the air just as Nana veered to the side with her waterboard and she swung her hammer hard. It connected with the side of their stomach and sent them flying into the trees with the three animals howling in pain. Nana placed her hammer on her back and continued to skate on forward. _I can't afford to linger. I need to find Nami and them._

She continued on the forest path until she saw some hoof prints on the forest floor and track marks of wheels. She decided to follow it and then stopped short when she realized where the tracks were heading. The haunted mansion laid ahead and just before it was a rather large graveyard.

Nana's eyes widened and she started to tremble. Suddenly, she heard a small growl and she turned to see the silhouette of a lion. "A lion?!"

The lion turned his head and then Nana screamed when she saw it had a human face. "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU?!" she screamed as she flung her hammer at it.

_Thwack!_

It knocked the weird lion right in the nose and then the hammer came flying back towards Nana. "Where the hell am I?!" Nana screeched as she went pedal to the metal and launched herself further down the path. "Nami! Chopper! Pygmy! Usopp!"

When she was right in front of the graveyard, she gasped in horror. There was a horseless carriage in the middle of the cemetery with swarms of zombies crawling over it. "What the hell?!"

"Woof woof! Yiiiippp!"

"Someone help me!"

Nana's eyes widened when she heard the panicked howling of Pygmy and Usopp's screams coming from inside the carriage and instincts took over. She grabbed her hammer and charged towards them with her waterboard. "Get the fuck away from my nakama!"

She raised her hammer, which had started to glow red, and she leapt high into the air. "Nana Special! Wrathful Smash!"

Her hammer sank into the back of the zombie directly in front of the carriage door. He had an arm inside the window but Nana's impact made him fall to the floor, dislocating his arm, as his back caught on fire. The other zombies around them scrambled out of the way as he yelled in pain. "AHHH! HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT!"

"Fire! Fire!" the other zombies shrieked.

Nana lifted her hammer threateningly at the zombies and then poked her head into the carriage window.

Usopp, Nami, and Chopper couldn't believe their eyes.

"Na...Na...Na…NAAAANAAAAAAAAAANAAAAAAAAA!" Usopp, Nami, and Chopper blubbered from the floor of the carriage while Pygmy barked happily.

"Don't just sit there! Run, you idiots!" Nana shouted. They quickly stumbled out from the other door, getting ash and soot all over them when they hit the ground, as Nana raced over to their side of the carriage.

"How rotten of you," the zombies seethed, "Using fire...So dirty...So rotten."

"At this point, the safest place is the mansion," Usopp gasped.

"What mansion?!" Nana demanded.

"Just follow us," Nami cried.

Nana jumped off her waterboard and swung her leg over Pygmy's saddle. "Guys, use my waterboard! I'll ride Pyg!"

Nami nodded and got in the front of the waterboard. Usopp held onto her back while Chopper clung onto Usopp's head. "Hold tight," Nami warned as they zoomed off.

Nana patted Pygmy's neck and she held onto her hammer tightly. "Let's get out of here!"

The dog charged through as Nana pointed her blazing hot hammer at the zombies. "You come any closer and I'll burn your brains out!"

"You rotten jerk!" they shouted back as they ran after her but kept a safe distance. After awhile, they started to stop following them until finally, there were no zombies behind them.

Nami slowed down the waterboard while Pygmy trotted alongside them. "Everyone okay?" Nana asked, "What the hell were you guys doing in a carriage?"

"Nana," Chopper sobbed while still riding on Usopp's head, "This is place is so scary. We got chased by a Cerberus-"

"Oh, that three headed thing? Yah, I saw it. I smacked it with my hammer," Nana said.

"NEVER LEAVE US, NANA!" Usopp shrieked.

"We went up a tree to escape it," Chopper tearfully explained, "And then this guy came...Hildon. He offered a ride to this mansion so we could go meet Dr. Hogback."

"Who?" Nana asked.

"He's apparently some sort of famous doctor that Chopper really wants to meet," Nami said with shrug.

"But then we said we'd rather go back because we saw some scary thing in the forest," Chopper sniffled, "And then they left us in the middle of a cemetery...And then...and then…And then all the zombies came out of the ground and tried to grab Usopp...that's when you came along."

"Are you not afraid anymore, Nana?" Usopp asked.

Nana folded her arms across her chest and frowned. "I don't know...I mean...Whatever those things are is creepy as all hell but at least they're corporeal," Nana replied, "As long as it's something I can hit with my hammer, I'll be okay...I think."

They approached the gate of the mansion and Nana hopped off of Pygmy's back. Nami, Usopp, and Chopper stepped off the waterboard as well. Nana picked it up and surveyed the mansion. "Well...here we are…," Nana murmured.

"I don't think anyone in his right mind would live on this island. I'd bet on it," Nami said.

"Right now, I just want a glass of water. That cemetery was so dusty and gross," Usopp hacked, rubbing his throat for emphasis.

Chopper looked excitedly up at the gate. "I get to meet Dr. Hogback after all! I'm so excited!"

"I just want to know what the hell is up with this island," Nana muttered and pushed open the gate to let her nakama through.

"Excuse me! Is this Dr. Hogback's mansion?" Nami called into the courtyard, "We're traveling pira...er... sailors! We got lost and could use some help. Please let us stay here. Anyone here?!"

They walked up to the steps of the mansion, thinking they'd approach a door but they were surprised to see that it was a tunnel that led to the other side of the mansion. They could see an even bigger courtyard from the tunnel. Suddenly a giant spotlight lit up in the middle of the tunnel and it revealed a well with a large wooden door next to it. The group hesitantly walked towards the well.

The rope started to pull up from the well and then a pale, blonde woman with a short bob, feather boa, and stitches along her face poked her head out. "Welcome," she said hauntingly as the rope continued to lift her up, revealing that she was holding a huge stack of plates.

"AHHHHHHHHHH!" the Straw Hats screamed as they backed away from the well.

"One, two, three!" the woman said as she shot out plates towards Usopp, "Four, five!'

_Smash! Smash! Smash! Smash! Smash!_

Nana quickly knocked them out of the way with her hammer and stood protectively in front of the cowering Usopp. "What the hell is your problem?!"

"Six, seven," the woman counted as two more came towards Nana, who smashed them without batting an eye.

"I'm guessing you're not letting us in," Nana guessed dryly.

"That is incorrect," the woman replied back, "I cannot invite _him_ into the mansion. The rest of you can come inside."

The Straw Hats were all confused. "Huh? Usopp?"

"That's enough! Hold it right there!" came a booming voice behind the door.

"What is that?" Nami gasped and Chopper immediately put his hooves up to his face.

"I can't take any more scary stuff!" Chopper whimpered.

There was a sound of a heavy lock turning and then the door slowly creaked open. "I think we can make this one exception, Cindry-chan," a sharp, squeaking voice said as the door opened up wider, "I'm sorry if she startled you guys. A long time ago, this woman was engaged to her wealthy master. To test his love, she broke all of his prized plates. He tossed her out, and her tragic past has made her develop an aversion to plates. She is now my servant, Cindry-chan."

"No one asked…." Nana grumbled as she eyed the man, who stepped through the door. He was a round man but with shockingly thin limbs. He had a surgical mask dangling below his chin, small round sunglasses over his eyes, and a fishnet vest over his torso paired with purple leather pants, "Another pervert?"

"I've failed to introduce myself," he said with a smile that showed his sharp fangs, "I am the world-renowned Dr. Hogback! Also known as a genius."

"D-Dr. Hogback! In the flesh!" Chopper gasped with awe, utterly dazzled by the man's presence.

"I think I see _too much_ flesh," Nana said and wrinkled her nose at the renowned doctor's fishnet vest.

"He doesn't seem too bright either," Nami added.

"Watch it, Nami! Nana!" Chopper hissed.

Cindry walked up the stairs to the open doorway and then turned to them. "You may talk inside. Today, I will make an exception. All five of you may enter. Come in!"

"R-right! Thank you, Cindry-chan," Dr. Hogback said, "Please come inside."

"Should we take them up on the offer?" Usopp asked.

"It's either dealing with those two weirdos," Nana muttered under her breath, "Or the zombies outside."

"Good point," Usopp said as they all walked into the mansion and then closed the door behind them.

"Hello? I'm still outside…" came the muffled voice of Dr. Hogback.


	32. Dinner and a Bath

Dr. Hogback, Nami, Usopp, Chopper, and Pygmy sat around a long, rectangular table in the middle of a drafty stone hall with a fancy, golden chandelier dangling overhead. Heavy velvet curtains and oil paintings of freakish portraits lined the walls. Even though Nana was casually eating throughout the dinner, she had her hammer close by and ready for anything. The mansion had more people in there than just the ones Nana saw in front of her. Nana could just feel it in her gut.

“Yosh osh osh!” Dr. Hogback laughed, “It’s a pleasure to welcome you to my mansion but my, you sure are grungy. What brings you here?”

“Zombies attacked us in the graveyard, so we ran here for cover,” Nami explained.

“Zombies?” Dr. Hogback asked.

“There’s a whole bunch of things on this island that is pretty weird,” Nana said, “What’s the deal with this island anyway?”

“I don’t know what they are but that’s why I’m here,” Dr. Hogback replied.

“So you’re conducting research on the zombies?” Chopper asked.

“Indeed I am,” Dr. Hogback stated proudly, “People are terrified when they hear ‘zombie’ but what if we refer to it as ‘resurrecting the dead’? Hasn’t that been all of mankind’s eternal dream?” 

“The dead should stay dead,” Nana said curtly, resulting in a menacing glare from Chopper. She stuck her tongue out at the reindeer, “That’s just my opinion.”

“But don’t you have a special someone or two you’d like to see return from the dead?” Dr. Hogback asked with a grin.

“I honestly can say I do not,” Nana said and then pointed a finger at Chopper, “And don’t give me that look, Chopper. It’s the truth.”

“Yosh osh osh osh,” Dr. Hogback laughed, “Toying with human morality is unorthodox medicine that some find disrespects God. That’s why I dropped out from society to conduct my research in secret and away from judgement.”

“Hear that, Nana?” Chopper said, “You’re the reason why Dr. Hogback has to hide.”

Nana rolled her eyes and scoffed. “Yes,  _ I’m _ the  _ only _ reason.”

“A ton of people will be happy if your research is successful, Dr. Hogback!” Chopper said excitedly, “I’ll be rooting for you, Dr. Hogback!”

“You’re rather open-minded! Thank you, Dr. Chopper,” Dr. Hogback replied.

“I’m not happy because you thanked me or anything, you jerk!” Chopper sang. He pulled out a large piece of paper and a black marker and held it up to the world famous doctor, “May I have your autograph?”

“Why, certainly!” Dr. Hogback said as he picked up the marker and wrote out a thank you note to Chopper.

“EEE!” Chopper squealed, “Can I see your laboratory too?”

The smile on Dr. Hogback’s face never left but his face turned eerie and creepy as he loomed over Chopper. “Whatever you do, steer clear of my laboratory!,” he seethed viciously.

Instantly, Nana was on her feet and about to pull him away from Chopper when Nami caught her by the wrist. Nana looked at Nami and the navigator shook her head. Nana took a deep breath and sat back down.

_ Plop! _

Cindry-chan came up to the table and casually threw some flan directly onto the table top.

“AHHH! Hey, Cindry-Chan,” Dr. Hogback gasped, “Please put the flan on some plates! Couldn’t you at least do that for me?” 

“I wish plates would disappear from the face of the earth,” Cindry replied stonily.

“Yosh osh osh osh,” Dr. Hogback laughed as he slurped up his flan directly from the table, “I wash my tablecloths for times like these so please enjoy.”

“No, thanks,” Nana said and looked over at Cindry’s lifeless hands. She grimaced in disgust, “I’m full.”

“I’ve drawn you all a bath,” Cindry said bluntly, “You’re a filthy lot, so go hop in.”

“Oh! Before I forget,” Usopp interrupted and turned to their host,” Did a skeleton drop by by any chance?” 

Dr. Hogback froze mid slurp. “A skeleton?”

“Yes, a very tall skeleton, who is oddly cheerful and has a big afro,” Usopp said.

“N-No...I don’t,” Dr. Hogback replied hesitantly.

Nami stood up from the table. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to take Cindry’s offer and go take a bath. Nana?”

Nana looked up curiously over at the navigator. “What?”

“You’re coming with me,” Nami stated, “I don’t want to be by myself in a strange mansion.”

“Yosh osh osh osh,” Dr. Hogback laughed, “There’s nothing strange here-’

“Oy! If you’re taking Nana, than we’re going with you guys too,” Usopp stammered as he got up to his feet.

“But…” Chopper whined but Usop shot him a look.

“Well...if you guys are sure…” Dr. Hogback said.

Cindry gave them the directions and they bade Dr. Hogback goodnight. They walked through the dark corridors of the mansion with Nana holding a candelabra and leading the way.

“Man, Nami, I wish you could take a bath by yourself,” Usopp whimpered.

“I said I was going with Nana,” Nami shot back, “You’re the one who decided to tag along!”

“Yeah,” Chopper complained, “I wanted to talk to Dr. Hogback more.”

“Nana’s our best defense against whatever weird things come out,” Usopp snapped at Nami, “You basically would be leaving me and Chopper to fend for ourselves if something bad happens.”

“Nothing bad’s going to happen. We’re with Dr. Hogback,” Chopper insisted.

“Shut your traps and just come with us,” Nami ordered.

“Yes, ma’am,” Chopper and Usopp obeyed in unison.

Pygmy sniffed the air and then his ears perked up at Nana. Nana looked down at her dog curiously. “What’s up, Pyg?”

Pyg stopped in his tracks and looked around him nervously. There was nothing in the hallways except for more haunting oil paintings framed in faded but elaborate wooden frames. Nana patted his head and she clenched her jaw. “I know. This place is creepy as fuck. Let’s just keep going, okay?” 

When they got to the bathroom, Usopp, and Chopper sat out front with Pygmy, guarding the door while Nami showered inside and Nana sat in the bath with the water just below her shoulders. Nana’s hammer leaned against the side of the door. She kept her metal glove on her hand and wrapped in a towel, safe from the water, just in case. Even though she was taking a bath, she knew Nami only asked her to be here for added protection.

Nami ran her eyes over Nana’s body, taking in the full extent of her scars. Nana caught her eye and grinned. “You checking me out, Nami?”

Nami jerked her head away and she blushed. “O-O-Of course not.”

“Then you were staring at my scars,” Nana said and Nami’s eyes widened.

“No, no, no!” she said hastily, “I was just-”

“It’s okay. You can look all you want,” Nana replied calmly and stuck her arm out so Nami could get a closer look of all the cuts and burns along her arm, “I think of them all as trophies.”

“Trophies?” 

Nana pointed at one of the larger scars that streaked from her wrist to her elbow. “This was won when I created my dual blasting cannon.” She turned her arm and moved her finger to a burn scar right near the top of her right breast. “This was received when I caught a stray cannonball for the first time.” 

Nana wrapped her arms around her body and smiled at Nami. “I know how it looks but all of these scars bring me closer to my dream so I am quite proud of it.” 

“Nana…” Nami said, unable to contain her amused smile. She put her hands on her hips and threw a bar of soap at her, “Well, you should still take care of your skin so wash up! I’ve been babying my skin all this time so I can teach you a few things or two.” 

“Oy, Nami, why are you even bothering taking a bath? We’re just going to get dirty again, right?” Usopp called from the other side of the door.

“Right?” Chopper chimed in.

“Aren’t you guys a least bit worried that a zombie touched you?” Nami replied, “Besides, we’re leaving as soon as night falls.”

“Whoa, there! Are you crazy?!” Usopp shouted as he poked his head through the door. Nana immediately threw the bar of soap hard at his face. It hit him squarely between the eyes and he winced in pain before closing the door back.

“Pervert,” Nana scoffed as she leaned her back against the tub and allowed the hot water to rise above her chest.

“But Dr. Hogback asked us to stay the night. If we leave suddenly, he’ll take it the wrong way,” Chopper complained.

“We should stay put,” Usopp said, “Luffy and the others are sure to come save us.”

“That’s right,” Chopper chimed in, “I’m not going back in the forest or graveyard.”

“It’s the same whether we’re inside or outside,” Nana stated solemnly, “Couldn’t you guys feel it? This place is packed with other people...well...maybe not people...but beings.”

“Eek!” Usopp and Chopper gasped, “A-A-Are you saying that-?”

“I agree, Nana,” Nami said before rinsing the shampoo out from her hair. She stepped into the bathtub to join Nana. The water level rose and Nana’s stomach instinctively tightened when she felt it touch her chin, “The halls and rooms were filled with people’s auras. This mansion is already teeming with zombies.”

Nana took a deep breath and tried to focus on talking to Nami rather than the water

“If Dr. Hogback really is researching zombies, than it’s safe to say there are zombies here inside the mansion,” Nana added, “Which makes Dr. Hogback the most suspicious person here. There’s no way he’s been living on this island for this long with no connection to the zombies besides just studying them. He has to be connected in some way.”

Nami nodded in agreement. “I know you don’t want to believe it, Chopper,” she called out to the reindeer, “But we can’t let our guard down.” 

Then the navigator sighed and wiped a wet towel over her shoulders. “At any rate...let’s play ignorant. Once it’s night, we’ll make our break.”

Suddenly, Nana sat up from the bath and she narrowed her eyes.

“Nana?” Nami asked. 

Nana pressed her finger to her lips and closed her eyes.  _ I heard gun metal rattling. I definitely heard it. Shit. I let my guard down. _ “We’re not alone,” Nana muttered.

“You two are rather clever,” a low voice grumbled.

Nana’s eyes snapped open and she shifted her body so she was kneeling in front of Nami with her back to the navigator’s front. “Usopp?! Chopper?!” she called out.

_ Booop. _

“Whoops!” Usopp said embarrassingly from outside, “I just farted.”

Chopper laughed while Nana gritted his teeth.  _ Those idiots.   _

She threw the towel off of her hand and reached for her hammer. Her eyes widened when she saw that it was no longer at the door.

“Where’d my hammer go?” she gasped just as she felt something grab her wrist and pull her out of the bath tub. Whatever it was, it was strong and Nana couldn’t see it. She dangled in the air with her feet just an inch above the tiled bathroom floor.

“Nana?!” Nami screamed.

Nana heard a distinct growl from a wild animal and then sounds of it licking it’s lips. Her head snapped forward and she glared at the empty space in front of her. “Let...me...go!!!” Nana seethed as she took a swing from her free, ungloved hand. Her punch was stopped at the wrist and she widened her eyes. 

“What’s going on?!” Nami cried as she watched Nana float in mid air, “I don’t see anyone!”

“He’s invisible!” Nana roared. She reared her head back and slammed it forward, head butting whatever it was in front of her. She could feel furry lips and hard fangs against her forehead. 

Nana was dropped to the ground and she quickly rolled away. She had used too much force that it took a second for her to get out of the daze. She shook her head and was about to get on her feet when she felt her metal glove tremble slightly. She looked at it curiously and held it up higher. Suddenly, she saw her hammer appear and flying towards her. She caught it swiftly with her glove.

“What?” Nana breathed.

“Ahhhhhhhh!”

Nana’s head snapped up to see Nami pinned against the wall with her arms out. “Nami!” Nana gasped.

“Much better...you’re more of my type...weaker than the one here...and the one on the ship,” the voice growled. Whatever it was, it was too caught up with Nami to realize that Nana was now armed, “Yes...I’ll have you be my blushing bride.”

“NANA!” Nami cried, “I don’t know what’s going on! I can’t see anyone but I can’t move my hands!!!”

Nana gripped her hammer. If she threw it forward, there was a chance she would hit Nami. She needed to find the invisible pervert. Good thing she knew someone perfect for this task.

“Pygmy!” she cried.

Suddenly, Pygmy burst through the door. He sniffed the air and then started to growl. 

“What the hell is going on?” Usopp and Chopper yelled as they rushed into the room. 

Usopp’s eyes fell on Nami’s naked front and Nana’s exposed back and he immediately bowed. “Thank you.” 

“NOW IS NOT THE TIME, YOU IDIOT!” Nana shouted, “There’s someone in the room! Pygmy! Pervert Hunt!” 

Pygmy shot forward and bit down hard at seemingly empty air.

“Gahhh!” a distinctly male voice howled. 

“Pygmy, hang onto him,” Nana ordered as she gripped her hammer tightly. “Nami...I need you to trust me on this…” 

“What are you-” Nami started to say but then she froze in fear as Nana came running at her with her hammer held low to the ground.

“Nana Special!” Nana shouted. She swung the hammer in an upward arc just as Pygmy jumped out of the way, “Lucky Strike!”

_ Bok! _

The handle of her hammer hit something hard with the hammer head just barely grazing over Nami’s belly button. “Ooof,” the voice squeaked and Nami slumped to the ground.

“There’s someone in here?!” Chopper squealed, finally catching on. He turned into his reindeer form and sniffed the air. “She’s right! I’m picking up an unique odor!”

“Oh sorry,” Usopp said as he waved his cape around his backside.

“I don’t smell a fart! I smell a new person!” Chopper exclaimed.

“Woof woof!” Pygmy barked.

Chopper’s eyes widened. “He’s going out the window!” Chopper warned just as the window swung open.

“Special Attack!” Usopp yelled as he pulled back his Kabuto, “Exploding Star!’

Fiery flames shot out of his slingshot and exploded out the window. “Sh-should I shoot another one?” Usopp asked.

“No,” Chopper said as he continued to sniff the air, “He’s gone now.”

Nana grabbed a towel and secured it over her body. Then she threw another one at Nami. “Are you okay?” Nana asked.

“I wonder if we’ll make it out of here…” Nami said shakily getting to her feet, “He overheard our entire conversation…”

“How did you know where to hit him?” Usopp asked.

“The invisible thing made it hard but…Pygmy and I are pretty good at taking care of perverts,” Nana said with a grin, “We’ve had our fair share back at Galley-La.”

Her eyes then narrowed at Usopp and Chopper. “What are you two still doing here? Get the hell out so we can change!”

“Sir, yes sir!” Usopp and Chopper screeched as they raced out.

Nana stayed by Nami’s side the entire time as they both dressed and left the bathroom. They walked through the corridors with Nami holding the candelabra this time and Nana holding her hammer.

“There is no such thing as an invisible man!” Usopp insisted, “You must have hallucinated.”

“I smelled him,” Chopper said.

“I hit him,” Nana add.

“I heard him,” Nami finished.

“I refuse to believe anything I see on this island. Including you two naked,” Usopp huffed.

“Gee. I know I’m no looker but I wouldn’t think I was forgettable,” Nana quipped sarcastically. 

“It’s not about that, Nana,” Usopp insisted, “You just imagined the invisible man! The ghosts we saw were actually just weird birds and the zombies are just a unique tribe called the Hollow Earth People!”

“The what?” Nana asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Okay, yes we met a skeleton that had died and come back to life but that was because of a Devil Fruit!” Usopp continued, “That was truly the exception to the rule.”

“I can at least agree with you that Brook is an exception. He actually seems normal compared to what we’ve seen on this island,” Nana replied, “He even had the decency to warn us about going here.”

“Can we at least go and talk to Dr. Hogback one last time?” Chopper pleaded.

“We’re going back the same way we came in,” Nana stated sternly, “And if we happen to come across him, then you can talk to him. I’m not getting lost in this mad house...especially if there’s an invisible man running around...and there  _ is _ an invisible man, Usopp, so just deal with it, okay?”

Chopper sniffled, “Okay.”

“Okay…” Usopp muttered.

They paused at the top of the stairwell when they looked down at the door that led to the dining room. It was pitch dark and no light was on. They cautiously went into the room.

“Cindry-chan?” Usopp tried.

“Dr. Hogback! Are you here?” Chopper called out.

“I enjoyed my bath…!” Nami shouted with forced cheerfulness.

“Oy! Where the hell are you, you weirdo?” Nana yelled, opting out of being polite. Chopper shot her a glare and she shrugged. “What?”

The candles that hung overhead lit up with a burst of flames and the chandelier lit up the room. Nana’s head jerked up and she spotted a bat-like creature dangling upside down from the light fixture with a bottle of wine strapped to his back.

“Those two have already turned in for the night,” the creature said.

“Hildon?!” Usopp screeched, “You jerk! How dare you abandon us in the graveyard?!”

“That’s Hildon?” Nana asked. Chopper nodded at her.

“My humblest apologies,” Hildon replied, “I left to attend some errands with the horses...The moment I took my eyes off of them…”

“You’re a bag of lies!” Nami shouted, “Everyone on this island is in cahoots with each other, right?!”

“P-Please don’t make such vile accusations!” Hildon stammered. He flapped his wings and flew towards a stairwell on the other side of the room. “Please come right this way. I’ll show you to your rooms.”

“How stupid do you think we look?!” Nana spat out.

“Thanks for the offer, but we must be off  _ now _ !” Nami said firmly.

“Wait!” Chopper cried, “Wait a sec! Let me talk to the doctor a bit more!”

“She has spurned you, Hildon…” a woman’s voice chuckled through the room.

The Straw Hats looked around the room for the source. Nana couldn’t spot anything so she closed her eyes and concentrated.

“K-Keep out of this!” Hildon whined, “I’ll be sure to take them to their rooms.”

“Why don’t we drop this charade?” the woman said.

"Over there!” Nana shouted and pointed towards her side, which was directly in front of Chopper. It was a portrait of a ghostly pale woman with stitches all over her face.

“They are already starting to grow suspicious,” the portrait said, “Before we slip up and give them a chance to escape.” She chuckled again and then stretched her head out of the frame.

“Wh-why is the…” Chopper gasped.

“...p-p-portrait…” Nana choked.

“...t-t-t-t-t-t-,” Usopp stuttered.

“...talking?!” Nami finished for the sniper.

“You’re trembling. How adorable. You’re so cute,” the woman laughed before reaching out her claw like hands and baring her teeth, “I won’t let you leave, children!’”

“NOOOOO!” they all screamed as the woman came flying towards them. She reached out and grabbed the first person, which happened to be Chopper.

“Ch-Chopper!” Nana gasped as the woman started to pull Chopper towards her portrait. 

Nana narrowed her eyes and grabbed her hammer. “Let him go!!!”

She ran forward and hit the woman squarely between the eyes with her hammer. The zombie screamed and dropped the reindeer, who rushed back towards Usopp and Nami.

“Go, Nana! Get her!” Usopp and Nami cheered from the back.

The sounds of swords being wielded caught Nana’s attention and she quickly turned her attention back to Usopp. “Watch out!” she shouted just as a sword came flying towards the sniper.

“AHHH!” Usopp screamed as he lunged out of the way. The sword lodged squarely in the back of a bear skinned rug.

“You shouldn’t turn your back on me,” the woman laughed as she grabbed Nana from behind. She squirmed against the woman’s hold before punching the woman hard in the face with her metal glove. The woman cried out in pain and dropped Nana, who ran back towards her nakama.

“Hehehehe,” a male voice laughed and they turned to see a the head of a stitched up pig, laughing at them with one sword in his hoof, “I’m Oinkchunk-sama, the head hog of the zombies in this room. You’ll be dead before you get so much as a single foot out the door!”

“The...the wall mount is talking,” Usopp gasped.

The rug underneath their feet started to move and they hurriedly jumped off of it. “Who was the jerk that stabbed me in the back?!” roared the bear skinned rug as it got up to it’s feet.

“AHHH! It’s just like Nami and Nana said! This mansion is teeming with zombies!” Usopp shouted.

“Nana Special!” Nana flared up her hammer and smashed the bear in the head with it. “Wrathful smash!”

“AHHHH IT BURNS!” the bear cried as flares bursted around his face, “It’s hot! It’s rotten hot!’

Nana turned the dial on her wrist and pulled down the chandelier with her metal glove. It crashed onto the ground, sending the burning candles tumbling off of it and creating more burns around the bear. “Grab a candle, Usopp! Nami! Chopper!” Nana cried as she leapt onto Pygmy’s back and pushed her waterboard towards Nami.

“Fire! It’s terrifying!!!” the portraits screamed. 

“Take this...and this!” Usopp, Nami, and Chopper yelled as they threw the burning candles all around the room while Nana swung her red hot hammer against the wooden frames around the portraits. Nami jumped onto the waterboard, along with Usopp and Chopper. 

“Head for the door! We’re leaving this place!” Nana roared.

Nami and Chopper ran for the doors first and they pulled at it with all their might. “It’s stuck!!! We’re trapped!”

Nana started to run towards them but then she got blocked off by the bear skin rug, who had got back on its feet. Pygmy quickly backed up but then he slipped on the edge of the rug. He and Nana fell backwards and tumbled into a fireplace.  “Ah, Nana!!!” Usopp, Nami, and Chopper shouted as they skated into the fireplace with her.

“WHY ARE YOU IN HERE WITH ME?!” Nana roared, “We’re trying to get out!”

“Because you’re the only one who can fight them!!!” Chopper cried.

The zombies were increasing in numbers and they were heading towards them. Nana tried to get back up on her feet but her hand hit something hard in the corner of the fireplace. 

_ Click! _

Suddenly, the fireplace turned and the Straw Hats were dumped into an empty hallway. “What the hell?!” Nana gasped. 

She rapidly scrambled to a squatting position and wedged her iron chisels into the opening of the secret passage. “That should stop them from coming after us,” she said with a satisfactory nod.

She turned and came nose to nose with a zombie, who had his mouth opened wide revealing very yellow but very also sharp teeth. “AHHHHHHH!” the Straw Hats screamed as Nana instinctively whacked it across it’s head with her hammer.

“RUNNNN!!” Nana shouted as they dashed down the hallway. She didn’t even bother climbing onto Pygmy, while Nami, Usopp, and Chopper whizzed by on her waterboard. Every portrait they passed turned out to be a zombie.

“AHHHHH!!!” the Straw Hats screamed at every turn.

“We need to find a room somewhere,” Nami panted, “We need to avoid hallways and anything with paintings!”

They saw a wooden door in front of them and Nana pointed ahead towards it. “That room! Go!”

They charged forward and burst through the door with Nana forcefully slamming it behind her before any of the zombies could get in. She nailed down the door with loose nails she had in her pocket and then slumped down against it, gasping for breath. “I hate this place,” she panted, “I really...REALLY hate this place.”


	33. Cindry & Ruma

“AHHHH! PAINTING!!!” Usopp shouted as he pointed towards the back of the room.

They all spun around in fear and then their eyes widened. It was zombie-less photo but the subject was anything but ordinary. A beautiful blonde woman was smiling at them with so much warmth and life that it felt soothing just by looking at her picture. She looked familiar in an odd way.

“Isn’t this...Cindry-chan?” Nami asked, “The one who hates plates?”

Nana slowly surveyed each picture that hung around the room.  There were many photos and all of the same subject doing different things. 

“Do you think this is her room?” Usopp asked.

“It looks more like a shrine to her than a room that she’d stay in,” Nana observed, “Would you hang a bunch of photos of just yourself in your own room?”

“Cindry-chan’s face and body were covered in stitches,” Chopper recalled, “But there aren’t any in these photos…”

Nami picked up a thick book and started to thumb through it. “Listen to this...Victoria Cindry...,” she read, “Apparently, she was a famous stage actress. This book is filled with articles about her.”

Nana frowned. “Didn’t Hogwash-”

“Hogback!” Chopper corrected.

“Hog _ back _ ,” Nana repeated with a disgruntled look to the reindeer, “Didn’t Dr. Hog _ back _ say that Cindry-chan used to be a servant before she came here? So when was she a stage actress?’

“That doesn’t seem very likely that she was a servant because she was originally born into nobility. At least, that’s what it says in this article,” Nami said as she continued to flip through the pages and then she froze, “Ten years ago...there was an accident and she died!”

Nana, Chopper, and Usopp clung to each other. “Eeeeeeeeeeeeee!” 

“Wh-what are you talking about?! She was clearly alive!” Usopp said.

Nana immediately grabbed her throat and started to gag. “I ate food prepared by a corpse. I ATE FOOD THAT WAS PREPARED BY A ZOMBIE!!!”

“This island is filled with real zombies!!!” Chopper screamed, “We saw the deceased that have really come back to life!”

“How is this even possible?!” Nami gasped.

Usopp started to back up against the wall. “I wish I didn’t know the truth,” he whimpered, “I wish I- wwwaaahhh!”

He tripped and fell over a loose curtain. He pulled it back to reveal a hidden nook in the wall. Inside the nook were stacks and stacks of crates tucked into the shadows.

Nami gasped and then put her palms to her face. “Are those treasure chests?” she squealed while wiggling with happiness.

“Your attitude changed too fast!” Nana and Chopper shouted accusingly.

“Hurry up and open it, Usopp!” Nami said excitedly and Usopp dutifully opened the box closest to him.

A giant clown zombie, bigger than any of the ones they’ve encountered so far, popped out from the box. “Sorry, but this is not where we keep the treasure!” he thundered.

“AHHHHHHHHH!” the Straw Hats screamed. Nana didn’t even bother with the door and she smashed her way through with her hammer. 

They kept running and turning until eventually they found an empty hallway with no painting in sight. Nana fell onto her knees and gasped for breath. She pulled her helmet and goggles off of her head and wiped the sweat from her forehead. “I really...REALLY hate this place,” she seethed as Usopp, Nami, Chopper, and Pygmy collapsed around her.

“Yosh osh osh osh!” 

Hogback’s laugh echoed through the hallway and they slowly sat back up. “Dr. Hogback!” Chopper said excitedly as they headed closer to the voice. Nana quickly grabbed the reindeer by the collar and pulled him to her side so that he didn’t get overeager.

They saw a slightly opened door with light pooling out from under it. They creaked open the door so it was just a sliver wider so they could all peak in. “What is this place?” Nana whispered.

“His laboratory!” Chopper squeaked.

Dr. Hogback’s laboratory was two stories high and he had a surgical table in the middle of the room. There were coffins that were leaning against the wall. Green light shined throughout the room and the world renowned doctor stood at it’s center holding a surgical knife high above his head, like he was showcasing a trophy.

“Yosh osh osh osh!” Dr. Hogback laughed, “It’s almost done! Behold, Cindry-chan! The work of a true genius...This is art!”

“I hope you fail right before completion,” Cindry-chan coldly replied.

“Ahh! How could you say that, Cindy-chan?” Dr. Hogback squealed, “I swear, I’m taken aback each time you fling such cruel words at me.”

“Cindry-chan...I wonder if she’s really the lady who died in that accident,” Nami whispered.

“What about the guy on the surgical table?” Nana asked Chopper. The man was just as big as Franky and he had the number 741 bandaged around his arm.

“Based on his complexion, he’s no longer alive,” Chopper said, “And he’s numbered just like the zombies in the graveyard.”

“They were numbered?” Nana whispered.

“You didn’t notice?” Usopp asked.

“I was kinda busy trying to save you guys, Usopp-sama,” Nana hissed.

“He’s clearly trying to make that guy into a zombie,” Nami stated, “Hogback probably revived all of the zombies on the island. That’s the only possible explanation.”

“If we spy on him, we’ll learn the secret to how he revives people,” Usopp said.

“That would explain Cindry-chan too then…” Nana commented.  Suddenly, Nana’s eyes widened as Pygmy whined softly at the same time. 

Nana hurriedly turned her back towards the door to face the hallway and she tilted her head. She could hear faint but distinct sounds of footsteps.  “Guys...someone’s coming,” she hissed.

“What?!” the rest of the group gasped as the sounds of wooden sandals hitting stone echoed became louder and louder.

“Yohohohoho!” a voice laughed.

“Brook?” Nana said, slightly releasing the hold on her hammer.

Soon, the source of the voice turned a corner and Nana gasped. It sounded like Brook but he didn’t look like him. He was a thin but muscular zombie. He had a bandage over his eyes and his white hair was tied into a top knot. He wore a samurai robe with a blue belly band. 

“Good day to you!” the samurai said, “If you’re curious about going in, maybe you should go inside.”

“That’s definitely….Brook’s voice…” Nana said with a mix of fear and confusion.

“Yohohohohohoho!” the samurai laughed and he raised his katana.

“Watch out!” Nana shouted as held her hammer horizontally to push her nakama through the door just as the skeleton sent a flying slash attack on them. The cut hit Nana straight in the back, tearing the leather in her corset and exposing the iron plate sewn to it. The force of the slash sent Nana hurtling into the room and crashing into the rest of her group.

“Nana!” they cried. 

Nana got up to her feet and held her hammer. “You bastard...what the hell is wrong with you?!” she yelled at the zombie.

“Eee! What are you doing here?” Hogback shrieked when he saw them.

“That can’t be Brook…” Nami said.

“But it sounds like him,” Chopper pointed out.

  
“But he has skin and muscles,” Usopp cried.

“Woof woof!” Pygmy barked.

“He said, ‘It didn’t smell like him either’,” Chopper translated.

“How dare you guys ignore me!!!” Hogback shrieked again.

“He also has on different clothes,” Nami added.

Hogback loomed over them and his shadow cast over the three Straw Hats and Pygmy. They finally noticed him and screamed. “AHHH! HE FOUND US!”

“INFIDELS!!!” Hogback shrieked, “Didn’t I tell you not to look inside my laboratory?!’

“W-W-We didn’t see a thing!” Usopp shrieked.

“N-Neither did I,” Chopper and Nami added.

“You’re clearly trying to make a zombie and you’ve made all the other ones on this island. Don’t deny it, you fucking psychopath,” Nana said without taking her eyes off of the samurai.

“EEEEEEE!!!” Nami, Usopp, and Chopper shrieked, “Why would you tell him that?!”

“How the hell are we supposed to lie our way out of this one?! We’re literally in the middle of his lab!” Nana snapped.

“Yosh osh osh osh,” Dr. Hogback laughed, “You’re free to suspect anything you like now that the night raid has started...but what makes you think that I’m making a zombie?”

Nami pointed a finger at Cindry-chan. “We found a newspaper clipping. Victoria Cindry, you died a good ten years ago.”

“Nami, why!???!?!” Chopper and Usopp wailed.

“Nana’s right. There’s no use lying about it now. We’re busted!” Nami snapped.

“Fiends! Did you guys go inside that room?” Dr. Hogback seethed, “Answer me!”

“No...we just like to keep newspaper clippings of things that happened ten years ago in our pockets,” Nana replied dryly.

“Why are you making it worse?!?!” Usopp and Chopper whined.

Nana nodded at the samurai, who was standing right outside the room.  “It already got worse when that guy showed up.” 

“Cindry-chan! Samurai Ryuma! Send them to the World of Shadows!” Hogback ordered.

“W-Wait a second!” Chopper begged.

“Did you see everything you had to see?” the samurai asked politely in Brook’s smooth voice as he walked towards Nana.

Nana and the rest of the Straw Hats started to step away from him and towards the back of the room.

“Yohohohoho!” the samurai laughed, “Upon closer inspection, I see that you are a truly elegant lady...You’re beautiful. My eyes follow the beautiful ladies...But I’m a mummy so I don’t have eyes. May I see your panties?!” 

“Is this house just filled with perverts?! Was Franky born here or something?!” Nana exclaimed. Then her eyes widened when she realized what he was saying and she looked over at Nami, who had the same expression on her face.

“Yosh osh osh osh,” Dr. Hogback laughed, “He’s on a completely different level from the other zombies you’ve seen. With his special body, he’s a General Zombie. He hails from the Wano Kingdom in the New World.”

“Yeah, well...I hail from the Kick Ass Kingdom of Water 7,” Nana spat and then she glanced over at Pygmy and then at Nami, who still had her waterboard, “Guys...when I say so...turn and run…”

“Nana, what are you-” Nami started to say.

“Just go...I can handle it...I’ll be right behind you,” Nana said and then grinned at them, “I got a plan.”

“There is nowhere to run!” the samurai interrupted as he drew his katana. 

“Not for you,” Nana smirked as she reached into her bag and threw a canister at the samurai. The samurai raised his sword and cut it in half. High pressured steam bursted out of the cannister and fogged up the room. Nana leapt into the air with her hammer and sent it crashing down to where the samurai stood. He immediately blocked her blow with his katana. “Guys! GO!!!” she roared.

A strong gust of wind burst forward past Nana as the Straw Hats got up to their feet. The samurai appeared before them and they looked at him in shock. Nana turned her head slowly towards her friends as the samurai casually walked towards Cindry-chan.  _ How did he get past me so quickly?  _

“Cindery-san, would you be so kind as to open yonder passage?” the samurai asked politely, Also, I would like a midnight snack.”

“Gahhhh!” Nana suddenly fell to her knees and spat out some blood and bile.

“Nana?!” Nami, Chopper, and Usopp gasped as Pygmy whined in her direction.

“Idiots...I told you guys to run for it,” Nana gasped as she got up to her feet. She looked down at her leather corset and was surprised to see no cuts in the leather.  _ He used the back side of his sword?! _

“Oh...the lady is a fighter,” the samurai said as he turned towards her with his katana raised.

“Bring it on,” Nana snarled.

“Nana, what are you doing?!” Usopp screamed.

“I told you to leave!!!” Nana yelled back, “Now go! It’s fine. Trust me!!!”

Usopp, Chopper, and Nami gulped before they nodded and ran out of the room, dragging a whining Pygmy behind them.

“AH!! Cindry-chan! They’re getting away!” Dr. Hogback screamed, “Stop them!”

Nana took out her hammer and launched herself up in the air. She slammed the hammer on the wall right above the door and it sent the stones crashing down. The piles of rubble blocked the entrance. She leaned the hammer against her shoulders and smirked at the trio. “If you wanted to kill me,” she said to the samurai, “You would’ve done so already...You are too fast for me and you have an exceptional sword so the fact that I’m alive shows that you can’t kill me..at least not yet...”

“Good eye,” the samurai said, “This is a one of the 21 Great Swords. Not many have seen it and lived to talk about it.”

“I’ll be sure to add that to my resume then,” Nana quipped, “Because I’m placing my bet on the fact that I’m more worthwhile to you guys alive than dead...”

“Yohohoho. Let’s see if your bet is the winning one then, shall we?” the samurai laughed as another gust of wind blew past Nana and she waited to hear the three sounds of his sandals.

Nana smirked as she fell forward with more blood coming out of her mouth. “I guess I was right,” she whispered before she lost consciousness.

* * *

Nami and Usopp skated on the waterboard while Chopper rode on Pygmy. They skated through the mansion with Usopp throwing as many fire stars he could to the zombies coming out but there were too many of them. They were only a few inches in front of the closest zombie and they were approaching a dead end with a single, glass stained window. “We have no choice!” Nami shouted.

“We need to jump!!!” Chopper gasped as he clutched Pygmy’s neck.

“WHAAAT?!?! We’re on the third floor!” Usopp screamed. 

They burst through the window and fell right into a tree. Their limbs tangled up with the branches but the soft leaves were able to help slow their fall. 

“Oh...we’re saved,” Usopp said with a breath of relief as picked a leaf out of his hair.

Nami slowly disentangled herself from the branches and limbs. She tossed the waterboard down to the ground. It landed with a hard thud. She carefully climbed down the tree and found herself standing on a grass lawn. “But...where are we?” Nami asked.

Chopper, Usopp, and Pygmy joined Nami on the grass and they looked around. The grass was wet and they were in some sort of creepy mini forest. Dark tall trees surrounded the area. There were stone arches over a stone stage in the center of the forest with plush velvet couches lined in front of it. Nami looked up and saw the window that they broke through.

“This...looks like it’s in the back of the mansion,” she said.

Chopper looked the other way and he gasped. “Look,” he said, “There is a sturdier building on the opposite side.”

“I don’t remember seeing any building behind the mansion, did you?” Usopp wondered, “Was it the fog?”

Nami spotted a stone bridge that connected the two buildings and she hurriedly ran up to it. “Usopp-sama! Chopper! Pygmy! Come up here! I think I found the breezeway.”

They ran up the steps to follow the navigator and they looked down. “What’s the deal with this place? How can this be a breezeway?” Usopp demanded, “It’s too big to be one. I mean, there’s an entire forest beneath us! A weird forest, I might add.”

“We should go back to the ship,” Chopper whimpered, “We should go find Luffy and them so we can come back and get Nana…Do you think she’s okay?”

Usopp gulped and then forced a laugh, “Of course she’ll be okay! She told us to trust her right? Nana is strong. She fought her way through Enies Lobby with Luffy, remember? So let’s go back to the ship and get Luffy and-” 

“Hold it!” Nami said and she solemnly put her hand to her chin, “We’ve been terrified right and left...screamed our heads off and run like mad...All for free?”

“What are you going on about?!” Usopp screeched.

“I’m getting a strong reading on my Something’s Fishy Sensor!” Chopper added.

“Don’t be crazy! Let’s just make a break for it, Nami!” Usopp hissed.

“I’m not crazy. I’m scared too! Sheesh!” Nami snapped with bellis flashing in her eyes.

Suddenly, they heard the pitter patter sounds of feet on the grass and they turned to see three penguins sidestepping towards them with their backs turned. They each wore a funny cap.

“Number 1,” the penguin in a cabby’s cap declared. He turned to reveal he had lost one eye with a stitch across his face and a bowtie below his beak.

“Number 2,” the penguin in a top hat shouted, turning to show that he had lips of a human and a scarf around his neck.

“Number 3,” the last penguin in a red and white checkered hat barked. He whirled around and the Straw Hats saw that he had a face of a bulldog.

“Ew…..” the Straw Hats muttered to themselves.

“Hello!” the first one shouted, raising a fin, “We are the-”

“Penguin Zombie Duo!” the second one finished.

“Trio! Trio!” the third one corrected, “I’m a new member!”

“Like I care about what’s going on with your members!” Usopp snapped.

“The guys behind you are…” the first penguin announced.

“Behind us?” the Straw Hats asked and they slowly turned.

They were surrounded by animal zombies of different shapes and species. There was a tiger with a shape of a bear, a raccoon with arms of a rabbit, a sheep with the face of an ape, and many other monstrosities.

“...the Wild Zombies!” the first penguin finished.

“Welcome to Perona-sama’s Wonder Garden!” they shouted.

“There is a disturbing number of freaky creatures!!!” the Straw Hats screamed.

The wild animals came charging towards them and Chopper immediately transformed into his human form. He punched and kicked the incoming zombies out of the way. “Nami! Chopper! Pygmy! Go ahead! I’ll hold them back!” 

“No matter where we go, weird zombies are bound to show up!” Nami protested.

Pygmy growled and lunged at a small koala with the face of a chipmunk. He grabbed it by it’s arm and flung it hard into the trees. 

Nami and Chopper ran all around the forest to avoid getting attacked as a small group of zombie animals came after them. The sheer number of them was just too much and it soon overwhelmed the Straw Hats. Nami and Usopp found themselves back where they originally started with Chopper and Pygmy.

“Usopp! Fire!” Chopper called out.

“Fire? Where?!” Usopp shouted and then Nami hit him on the head. “Oh! Fire!”

He pulled out his kabuto and shot out a fire star. It exploded and engulfed an elephant with a panda head in flames. He was about to shoot another one when he suddenly got kicked in the back by the penguin with the bulldog’s face.

“Usopp!” Chopper screamed just as a giant spiked iron ball hit him from behind.

“Usopp! Chopper!” Nami cried.

Pygmy ran over towards Chopper just as a shadow loomed over him. Pygmy looked up to see a gorilla with a crocodile face smiling over him and showing him all its teeth. 

“Pygmy,” Nami gasped. 

“You’re in danger as well…” a low voice grumbled behind Nami.

She spun around and saw a giant rhino in a suit. He raised his sword over his head just as the crocodile widened its mouth ready to take a chunk out of Pygmy.

“Wrathful Smash!”

_ Thwack! Thwack! _

Both the rhino and gorilla-crocodile went sailing back away from Pygmy and Nami. Their eyes widened as the penguin in the dog face stood in front of Nami while a deer with a ram’s head came up to Pygmy and then licked him on his nose. Pygmy’s eyes widened and his ears perked up.

“Bastards! Why’d you attack an ally?!” the zombie animals shouted at the two, “They’re the enemy! You’re supposed to kick their butts!”

“I don’t know who this lady is…” the dog replied, “But even if it means defying the master’s orders, or sacrificing myself, I won’t kick a woman!”

“And I cannot allow you to touch a hair on this dog!” the ram shouted as it bent its head low to gear for another attack, “And if you have a problem with that, you can take it up with me, you fucking weirdos.” 

Nami, Chopper, Usopp, and Pygmy’s eyes widened at the pair. “The attack style of those two…” Nami whispered.

“...and their words…” Chopper gulped.

“Rookies! What is wrong with you two?!” the zombie animals demanded.

“I will beat table manners into anyone uncouth enough to harm a lady, you damn zombies,” the dog-penguin declared.

“I’m not sure why…” the deer-ram added, “But I would rather die than let you harm this dog….so bring it on!” 

“I’m sure of it...that dog-penguin is...,” Nami said.

Pygmy whined and Chopper nodded his head. “And...that deer-ram...”

The animals charged towards the two rookies. The deer-ram and the dog-penguin were able to block off all of their attacks and return with even stronger blows. The deer-ram hammered the zombies with its horns while the dog-penguin kicked them away with its big webbed feet.

“These...zombies...are as strong as a General zombie…” the animal zombies gasped as they took a step back away from the two rookies.

“You cannot use logic to measure this power,” the dog-penguin declared, “It is the power to make the impossible become possible! The hurricane that blasts everything in its path is known as...love.”

“Sure enough...That dog-penguin is spouting a bunch of nonsense,” Nami muttered.

“Baaaa baaaa!” The deer-ram burst into laughter and the dog-penguin shot a stunned look over in its direction, “That’s some smooth talking there, Prince Charming.”

“Y-Y-You have the laugh of an angel,” the dog-penguin said, completely stricken with the deer-ram.

“DOES IT?!” Usopp snapped in disbelief.

“Weird...zombie...couple…” Nami grumbled and then folded her arms, “Yeah...that’s definitely Sanji-kun and Nana.”

“You’re right!!!” Usopp gasped and he yelled over to the pair, “Hey! Dogguin! Deerram! Do you guys know Sanji and Nana?”

“We’re Sanji and Nana’s nakama!” Chopper added.

“Shut the hell up, you stupid pirates!” the dog-penguin and deer-ram shouted as they came after the two. The dog-penguin kicked Usopp hard in the face while the deer-ram slammed its horns into Chopper.

“Scary!” Chopper cried.

“So they are our enemies after all!” Usopp gasped.

A sudden crash caught their attention and they turned to the building behind the mansion. A giant boar-like creature in a wedding dress was running towards them while a man with a lion’s muzzle and long blonde hair chased after her. “Wait, dammit! Lola!” he called after the boar.

“Runaway bride?” Usopp asked.

Without warning the bride changed direction and started to sprint towards the lion man. The man skidded to a halt. “Whaaaat?!” he screamed as the bride leapt high into the air and crash landed onto him, pinning him down to the floor.

“Bride Fu! Princess Carry Vow!” she cried.

“Another weird zombie couple….” Usopp and Chopper said as a sweat drop fell down their heads. ****


	34. Food, Nami, and Shadows

“There’s a sexy master swordswoman shooting meat out of cannons!!!”

Nana’s fingers twitched and a harsh shiver ran down her spine.  _ Where am I?, _ she thought as she tried to move her body. 

“Cannon?” she whispered. Her eyes slowly opened and she realized she was lying face down on the floor. She gradually got up to her elbows as her senses started to return. The room was bright and it took a moment for her to notice that she was in the kitchen of the Thousand Sunny. 

Suddenly, she felt Pygmy’s nose sniffing near her ear. She lifted her head to stare up at his muzzle before he gave her a lick on the nose.

“Sexy?” she heard Sanji’s voice gasped.

She looked around her and saw that Luffy, Sanji, and Zoro were on the floor just like her with Usopp, Chopper, Franky, and Robin standing at the doorway watching them. Her waterboard was leaning against the side of the doorframe. 

“Meat?” That was from Luffy.

“Master swordswoman?” Zoro grunted.

“You guys are hopeless!!!” Chopper screamed as Usopp smirked at Franky.

“Told you that would work,” the sniper said smugly.

Nana’s eyes widened as her mind switched on. She sat up just as Luffy leapt forward with his fist in the air. “You bastard! Give me my shad-”

Franky caught him by the face. “Calm down! Moria isn’t here.”

“Moria? Who the hell is Mora?” Nana grumbled as she got up to her feet. She looked down to pat Pygmy on the head. She let out a scream. “My shadow!!! It’s gone!!!”

“So it wasn’t a dream,” Zoro growled as he stared at his feet as well, “My shadow is missing too. This feels so weird.”

Luffy ran out of the room and into the pantry, whose locked door was busted open, and he soon returned clutching a can of dried bread and a large chunk of cheese. “Oy! This is bad! We have a disaster on hand! We’re all out of food!’

Sanji shoved Luffy out of the way so he can check his inventory. He came out with his hands in his pockets and a cigarette between his lips. “We had our galley packed nicely but now it’s empty. They took off with everything but some emergency rations.”

“Fuckers,” Nana cursed, “I reinforced those locks too. They had to have used explosives to open the door. It’s a miracle they didn’t damage more of this ship.” 

“Don’t underestimate the super strength of the Adam Tree!,” Franky declared.

Zoro slapped a palm to his face. “This is really humiliating. I wasn’t taking things seriously enough.”

“Ow. Nana-brat, did you get caught by those spider mice things too?” Franky asked.

Nana shook her head. “I was-”

“She went up against the samurai in order to let me, Nami, Usopp, and Pygmy escaped,” Chopper cried tearfully as he ran towards Nana and hugged her by the knees, “We’re so sorry!!! We should’ve stayed and-”

Zoro’s head shot up. “Samurai?” Zoro interrupted.

“Samurai?!”  the cook cried the same time. Sanji pushed Chopper out of the way and knelt in front of Nana, “Nana-chan, did he hurt you? Where did he hurt you? That bastard, I will kick the living shit-”

“I’m fine,” Nana said and shoved Sanji out of the way so she could look at Chopper.  She smiled reassuringly at the doctor, “You guys wouldn’t have been able to take him on even if you did stay. Besides, after his first attack I realized he was using the back of his sword. They were keeping me alive for a reason.” 

“Oy, Nana! Tell me more about the samurai,” Zoro insisted, “Is he strong?”

Nana nodded. “And he’s got a crazy sword too. It’s nothing I’ve ever seen before.”

Zoro smiled menacingly as he instinctively reached for his own swords. “Interesting…”

“Nana…” Chopper whimpered and Nana scoffed back at him. 

“Stop crying, Chopper. I’m not even that upset about it.  It’s only my shadow. We’ll get it back. At least you guys got away okay, right?” 

Then her eyes widened and she did a silent head count.

“Where’s Nami?! I thought she was with you two?!” Nana shouted at Usopp.

Usopp gulped. “She got taken away.” 

Sanji grabbed Usopp by the collar and rammed him up against the wall. He glowered at the sniper. His face was so close to Usopp’s that the sniper’s nose was bent from the pressure. “You bastard! You let Nana-chan get injured and you also let Nami-san get abducted?! What kind of man do you call yourself?!”

“Whoa! Wait!” Usopp gasped as he tried to loosen Sanji’s hold, “Please hear me out and I’ll explain the entire situation to you!” 

Nana rushed forward and pried Sanji away from Usopp. “Easy, Prince Charming,” she grunted as she stood in between the two men, “No need to race to my defense. He didn’t  _ let _ me get injured. I made the decision on my own….Besides, we’ll be able to get Nami back so everyone just calm down.” 

She kept her hand on his chest and at an arm’s length away from the sniper. The cook’s eyes softened and he covered her hand with his. “Are you really okay, Nana-chan?” 

“A little bruised in the ego but otherwise, I’m fine,” Nana said grimly, “But now that we know what we’re up against, we’ll be able to win this round.” 

She turned back Usopp, “We  _ do _ know what we’re up against, right, Usopp-sama?”  

Usopp cleared his throat. “Okay, I’ll make this quick. Generally speaking, there are two things we need to get back.”

“Our food, Nami, and our shadows, right?” Luffy asked.

“That’s three things,” Nana snapped at her captain. She was about to step towards Luffy when she realized Sanji was still holding her hand close to him. She jerked it out of his grip and bumped him lightly in the chest with her fist. 

“Idiot,” she scoffed softly with her fist pressed against his shirt, “I said I was fine. I’m the least of your worries.”

“Wow, Luffy...I wasn’t expecting you to rank things in that order, Luffy,” Usopp breathed, bringing Nana’s attention back to him. “First off, let me fill you in about Nami and your shadows. Nami was taken away by an invisible man.”

“The invisible man’s back?!” Nana shouted and Chopper nodded sadly to her. 

“We got to see his true form,” Usopp continued, “He’s pretty powerful and has a face like a cat. Nami’s not in any mortal danger because he’s planning on marrying her.”

“Wha-?!” Sanji shouted incredulously, “M-M-Marriage?!” The blonde burst into a rage of flames. “Don’t be stupid! I won’t let that happen!!! Nami-san, I am coming to save you!”

“He’s got guts to marry Nami…” Luffy observed.

“That bastard,” Nana scowled, “Okay...so what about our shadows? Is he responsible for taking those too?”

“No. Remember how we saw the body on Hogback’s table?” Usopp asked and Nana nodded. “Well, those are corpses that Hogback preps for their boss, who steals people’s shadows and puts those shadows into the body. That’s how he makes zombies. The zombies actually have the personality and voice of the shadow owners. The zombies we saw were actually not resurrected from the dead...They just contain the shadows of other people. We watched them put Luffy’s shadow into a giant zombie and now there’s a giant zombie Luffy somewhere on this island.”

“We also ran into your’s and Sanji’s zombies as well,” Chopper added.

“There is a giant version of me?” Luffy cried.

“How are they even able to get the shadows?” Nana asked.

“Their leader, Gecko Moria, is some super type of Devil Fruit user, who can manipulate shadows. Since the power behind the shadows is Devil Fruit based, you can take back your shadows by throwing purified salt into the zombies mouth,” Franky explained.

“That sounds pretty easy,” Nana said with her hands on her hips.

“It does except the power user we’re dealing with is one of the Seven Warlords so we shouldn’t let our guard down,” Franky said.

Usopp and Chopper screamed. “AHHH! He’s a Warlord?!”

Tears started to fall from their eyes. “I-I had no idea he was one of the Seven Warlords,” Chopper sniffled, “Fear has suddenly set in…”

“You guys didn’t know that?” Franky asked.

“How were we supposed to know?!” Chopper and Usopp snapped.

“Oh...if the zombies are supposed to act like us, then I think I saw Zoro’s zombie,” Luffy said with his finger on his chin.

“What was he like?” Zoro asked.

“No different from you,” Luffy replied after a lot of thought, “But I knew he wasn’t you because he was wearing sandals.”

“What was mine like?,” Nana asked.

“Yours was a deer combined with a ram...and it used its horns like you use your hammer...And Sanji’s was a penguin with a dog’s face,” Usopp explained.

Zoro shifted the swords at his side. “So we need to find a zombie in sandals, Luffy’s giant, the cook’s dogguin, and Nana’s deerram...and our shadows will come back if we throw salt in their mouths.”

“Got it,” Nana said as she walked out of the kitchen and headed for the deck. 

“Nana-chan, where are you going?” Sanji called after her. 

Nana looked at him in surprise. “To get weapons of course.”

Usopp balked at her. “You created weapons for this kind of situation?”

“Yes. I figured we’d all lose our shadows one day and would need to retrieve it while also having to stop a wedding from an invisible man,” she said sarcastically.

“Really?!” Chopper squealed, “That’s amazing!”

“I didn’t-...Ugh. Never mind. I just have something that I think might work. Just give me a second,”  Nana grumbled before disappearing to the bottom deck.

By the time Nana returned, Franky was in the middle of telling them his encounter with Brook. The living skeleton apparently wished to one day return to the Grand Line and reunite with a crewmate, a whale named Laboon.  At the mention of the name, Luffy, Usopp, Sanji, and Zoro visibly stiffened.

“We know him…” Luffy said, “We know that whale!”

“What?!” Chopper and Nana asked. 

“Oh yeah…” Usopp said, “Chopper wasn’t there during that time either.”

“Twin Capes is at the entrance to the Grand Line. We sailed there and saw a freakishly huge whale,” Sanji explained as he puffed on his cigarette, “At first we thought it was a mountain...and thanks to Luffy’s stupidity, we got swallowed whole by the whale.”

“The whale ate you?!” Chopper cried.

“And the whale was Laboon?” Robin asked.

Sanji nodded. “Right. There was an ancient lighthouse keeper who lived inside the whale. He had been treating Laboon from the inside.”

“Supposedly he used to be a medic on a pirate ship,” Usopp added.

“But why did he need treatment? Was Laboon sick?” Nana asked.

Sanji puffed on his cigarette. “He was continually bashing his head against the Red Line, which is like a wall dividing our world. He’s been waiting fifty years for some pirates who promised to come for him after they traveled around the world.”

“Brook…” Nana said softly.

“Luffy got him to stop killing himself by bashing his head against the mountain,” Sanji finished.

“It’s an unbelievable story,” Usopp breathed, “Both sides have been keeping their promise for fifty years!” 

Nana looked at Franky excitedly. “And it means...Brook isn’t alone...He’s not the only sole survivor of his pirate crew! Oh, he’d be so relieved to hear that.”

“Just another reason for us to get back our shadows...including Brook’s,” Zoro said as he adjusted his swords, “Hunting down the zombies with our shadows sounds like it’s going to be a pain.”

“And Luffy’s zombie is a real monster. He’s bigger than two giants put together!” Chopper warned.

Luffy’s face turned solemn and his eyes darkened. “We don’t need to search for the zombies. Although, I’d like to have seen my zombie.”

“What are you talking about?” Nana demanded, “If we don’t get our shadows back, we’ll never be able to stand under the sun. We’ll never be able to sail into the New World.”

“I never said we wouldn’t get our shadows back. If we take out Gecko Moria, everyone will get their shadow back!” Luffy replied.

The Straw Hats stared at their captain with wonder. “Ah...looks like he’s cut to the heart of the problem once again,” Sanji grinned.

Luffy pointed to the top of the building. “And isn’t Moria at the top of that staircase?”

“Whoahhhh, he’s dead on again!” Usopp gasped.

“So I’m just going to go over there and kick his ass,” Luffy stated simply, “Sanji, you’re in charge of rescuing Nami.”

“Yeahhhhhh!” Sanji roared as he leapt over the railing onto the dock below, “You’d better believe I am.” 

Without warning, Sanji burst into angered flames. “I don’t care if he’s an invisible man or a dismissible sham, I’ll kick him to the ends of this fog! I’ll crash that wedding! Wait for me, Nami-san!”

“Oy, Sanji!” Usopp called out, “That invisible man also snuck into the bathroom to ogle at Nami and Nana. He-”

The blistering inferno that engulfed the cook was so strong that Nana worried about the structural damage it would have on the dock. Sanji’s rage scorched his soul and consumed his mind. “What?!” he bellowed, “Curse him!!! Even _ I  _ haven’t seen Nana-chan naked’s body yet.”

“Y-Y-YET?! What the hell does he mean by yet?” Nana sputtered. Then she raised an eyebrow at Usopp.

“Does this mean he’s seen Nami naked?,” she asked from the corner of her mouth.

Usopp shrugged defeatedly. “Well, he tries to sneak a peak every time you guys shower but since Pygmy stands outside of the door whenever you, Robin, and Nami are in the bathroom now, he hasn’t had much luck...But there was this one time in Alabasta where Nami flashed us and then fined us for it.” 

Nana snorted. “Yeah...that sounds like Nami.” She then turned her attention back to the cook, who was still en fuego. “Oy! Sanji, don’t get carried away thinking you have to defend my honor or anything.”

The cook was too incensed to listen. He clenched his fists and struck a fighting pose, facing the island. “I WILL TEAR OUT HIS EYES AND THEN RIP HIM LIMB FROM LIMB!!!” 

Nana looked over at Usopp. “This is all your fault. He was already going after Nami. There was no need to fan the flames, Usopp-sama.” 

“I want to give him enough motivation. I feel kind of bad tha Nami got whisked away right in front of our eyes,” Usopp admitted sheepishly, “I’m going to go with Sanji.”

“Is this also because you also don’t want to run into the Warlord again?” Nana asked.

“I  _ really _ don’t!!!” Usopp cried.

“I’m a little concerned about the skeleton’s duel with his shadow. I’m going after him,” Franky said.

Zoro stepped towards the cyborg, “I’m going to join you. I’m dying to find out what the zombie of a legendary samurai is capable of.”

Usopp dug into his own messenger bag and brought out a bunch of small green pouches. He threw a pouch to each Straw Hat. “These are for you,” he explained, “They contain my special Zombie Ascension Salt Balls.”

Nana caught the pouch but immediately tossed it back. Then she pulled out a hand cannon she had brought up from her workshop. “I told you, Usopp-sama, I have bad aim when it comes to throwing stuff,” she said as she rested it on her shoulders, “I can work cannons much better.”

“Whoa! Whoa! Nana. I don’t think guns would work on zombies-” Usopp started to say but Nana grinned as she opened up the barrel for him to see inside. There were ten mini water tanks inside the cannon.

“It’s a water gun,” she said with a smile, “I created this originally to put out small fires...Never thought I’d use it to feed zombies with seawater.” 

“Ow, Nana-brat, where’d you get the seawater?” Franky asked, walking over to her to examine her weapon.

“Scooped it up from some of the water in one of the docking rooms,” Nana replied.

The sniper put his hands on his hips when Franky and Nana began to casually talk shop. “You guys all have no sense of danger,” Usopp lectured, bringing the attention to him, “So let me make this perfectly clear! Just because these waters are shrouded in thick fog it doesn’t guarantee safety from the sunlight. We’re definitely safe right now but only because it’s nighttime. In other words, consider your drop-dead time limit to be dawn when the sun rises! No matter what, you can’t forget the time limit.”

“Gecko Moria, we’re taking back twice the amount of food you stole...” Luffy declared as he raced off of the boat and towards the building, “...and before dawn!”

“Yeah!” his crew cheered and followed behind their captain.

“W-Wait...that wasn’t quite the point I was making,” Usopp tried to say but no one was listening.


	35. Nana vs. the Straw Hat Zombies

The Straw Hats left the Thousand Sunny and they went their separate ways. Zoro and Franky headed off to the lower bridge in search of the samurai and skeleton while Luffy, Sanji, and the others took the stairs up to the top floor towards the shadow stealing Warlord. Nana ran with her hammer and shotgun on her back with Sanji and Luffy leading the way. With the additional weight, she had left her bag and waterboard behind.

Word had spread around the island that the Straw Hats were aware of using salt to purify the zombies so many of the zombies fled at the sight of them and didn't even try to take on any of the Straw Hats. Still, that did not stop Sanji and Luffy to beat up whichever one was in their eyeline.

When they approached a second flight of stairs, Robin skidded to a halt. "Oh no! I completely forgot!"

"What? What's wrong?" Nana demanded.

Robin's eyes were fixed on the top of the stairs, where Luffy and Sanji were closest to. Five white, translucent ghosts with big black eyes and thick lips came flying towards them. Nana's throat tightened and she took a fearful step back.

The ghosts flew through the bodies of Sanji and Luffy and the two men crumpled into the fetal position. "I can't take it anymore," Luffy whimpered, "In my next life, I hope I'm reborn as a mosquito larva."

"I hope my eyebrows curl up too much and I become an idiot," Sanji croaked.

"Luffy! Sanji! What the hell has gotten into you two?!" Nana shouted at them.

"Ne-ga-tive! Ne-ga-tive!" the ghosts started to sing as zombies stomped over to the two depressed men.

"Those ghosts...they can dishearten you with a touch and destroy your will," Robin replied, "As of right now, we don't know how to counter them."

"Got 'em," one of the zombies exclaimed gleefully, grabbing Luffy by the arm while motioning for someone to get the cook.

"Crap! They caught both of them!" Usopp screamed.

_Bang!_

A shot of sea water flew directly into the mouth of the zombie holding Luffy, who instantly dropped the rubber man and clutched his throat.

"What is it? What happened?" the other zombies cried to him. They watched in horror as his mouth opened and a dark shadow came floating of it. He collapsed lifelessly on the floor.

"Just because they're out, you think you can just do what you will in front of us?!" Nana called out with as much confidence as she could muster while nervously eyeing the ghosts floating above.

The rest of the zombies scrambled out of the way, dropping Sanji as well, while the ghosts came flying towards Nana and the group. Nana's face turned pale and her feet felt like they were nailed to the ground.

"Ahhh!" screamed Usopp. He ducked low, clasping his hands over his head, and summoned all his courage. He ran forward and grabbed Nana by the wrist. He pulled her out of the way just in time to avoid the ghosts, "We gotta go!"

The Straw Hats sprinted forward with Usopp scooping up the bummed out Sanji while Chopper grabbed Luffy. They raced up the stairs with the zombies and ghosts chasing after them. "Hurry! If we get touched by those ghosts, it's game over!" Usopp shouted, "Our only hope is to carry them and run!"

The ghosts started to swoop in closer and closer towards the group. "I really fucking hate this place!" Nana cried.

"Woof woof!" Pygmy agreed.

"S-Stay back!" Usopp screamed to the ghosts while carrying Sanji on his back.

Nana's eyes were locked forward. She knew if she turned and saw the ghosts, she'd be paralyzed with fear. All her hairs stood up and her back tingled. _Are they coming? Are they close?_

She reached the top of the stairs with Chopper, Robin, and Luffy when suddenly, the ceiling started to break. Something large and smashed through room. The stairs behind Nana's feet crumbled into bits. She spun around in time to see Sanji and Usopp fall through the floor as the entire stairwell collapsed beneath their feet. "Sanji! Usopp-sama!" she cried out.

"What just happened?" Chopper gasped as he dropped Luffy to the ground so he could lean over the edge to look at the ground below. The impact of his head hitting the floor knocked Luffy's senses back.

"Wh-wh-what happened?" the rubber man shouted.

"A bunch of zombies, Usopp, and Sanji…" Chopper said incredulously, "The whole lot of them fell when the stairs gave out."

Nana put her goggles over her eyes and tried to see through the smoke of debris and dust that wafted into the air from the impact. She spotted the top of Franky's ducktail. "Looks like Franky and Zoro are down there with them."

The dust started to settle and Nana's eyes popped out of the sockets. "Wh-wh-what is that?!" she screamed in horror. She pointed at a giant monstrosity below. He was the same size as a castle keep and he was pink all over but there was nothing cute about him. He had horns that stuck out harshly from his forehead and two sharp fangs protruding up from an underbite. He was bandaged and stitched up everywhere and to Nana, he looked like the devil himself.

"That's Luffy's zombie!" Chopper gasped, "We need to go help-"

"No," the captain ordered sternly as he got up to his feet, "We need to get to Moria and pluck that giant shallot before my zombie gets up and moves."

Luffy, Nana, Robin, and even Pygmy nodded hesitantly at Luffy. He ran forward and made his way into the building and the rest of the group dutifully followed. Chopper turned into his reindeer form and his hooves clopped against the stone ground.

"This entrance," Chopper explained, "Leads to the dance hall where he stole your shadow, Luffy. Beyond this is a giant freezer and that's the last place we saw Moria."

"Yosh," Luffy grunted.

They turned the corner into the dance hall and skidded to a halt. Dr. Hogback and Cindry-chan were standing in the middle of the room with their backs turned to them. The sound of Chopper's hooves made them turn around and Dr. Hogback screamed at the sight of them.

"Ahh! What are you doing here? Didn't Perona take you down?"

Nana tilted her head. "Perona? Who is that?"

"Hogback…" Chopper seethed.

"Who is that reindeer?" Dr. Hogback demanded.

"So that's Dr. Hogback," Robin mused.

Nana frowned at Robin. "So far you're the only genius I've met, who is attractive and not a freak."

Robin chuckled. "Thank you, Weaponsmith"

"Ahhhh! What are you saying?! Even though we're on different sides, your words still hurt, you know?" Dr. Hogback shrieked.

"That guy...was with Moria," Luffy scowled and then he started to wind up his arm, "I'm going to kick his ass."

"Wait, Luffy!" Chopper shouted, "Could you leave him to me?"

"Chopper…" Nana said quietly as she looked at the determined reindeer.

"See that door behind you, Luffy?" Chopper asked and Luffy turned towards it, "It leads to the freezer. Go on ahead."

Luffy nodded and grinned at his nakama. "Yosh!"

Dr. Hogback was incredulous. "You can't skip straight to Moria-sama! Learn some manners! Cindry-chan, get him!'

"One! Two!" Cindry-chan cried as she whipped plates in Luffy's direction. The rubber man fell to the floor to avoid the ceramic attack.

"Yosh osh osh osh!" Dr. Hogback laughed, "Looking good, Cindry-chan!"

Robin crossed her arms and three arms out of Cindry. They grabbed her arm and stopped her from throwing more plates. "Go on ahead, Captain," Robin said with a smile.

"Ah!" Luffy exclaimed and dashed off through the giant freezer doors, "Thanks, Robin!'

Nana's eyes narrowed at the freezer doors and she looked down the hallway. It was dark and most of the room was covered in shadows but she could still make out some pipes and bits of metal work.

Dr. Hogback shrieked again and ran after Luffy. "Hogback!" Chopper shouted, changing back into his usual form.

Dr. Hogback froze and looked over at the reindeer. "You've disappointed me," Chopper said, "I refuse to consider you a doctor."

"Yosh osh osh osh!" Dr. Hogback laughed, "So you're a Zoan power holder? I didn't even recognize you. I don't know how you escaped on your way to Perona's garden, but that won't happen again now that I've run into you...and I will get your shadows."

Then his grin turned menacing. "Or should I kill you and use your body for a mario?"

The mix of different footsteps rang out from behind Dr. Hogback and he stepped to the side so the Straw Hats could see the new arrivals. "They'll do the dirty work for me!" Hogback announced.

Three zombies stood before them. One was a penguin with a dog face, the second was a deer with a ram face, and the third one was a tall human zombie with three swords. The human zombie was bandaged all over his sunken face, with an inner tube around his waist and a shredded t-shirt that said "Your Song" on it. "Don't tell me these three are…" Nana gasped, "And that one is...Zoro's…"

"Scars on the back are a swordsman's shame!" the zombie with the inner tube rasped.

"What the hell was Luffy talking about?! They look nothing alike!" Nana and Chopper screeched.

"Indeed not," Robin mused.

"Yosh osh osh osh!' Hogback ordered.

The zombies bowed. "Yes, Hogback-sama," they said and marched towards the Straw Hats.

"Who should we take out first?" the Zoro zombie asked the dogguin.

"The reindeer," the deer-ram replied.

"Ocho fleur!" Robin cried as her arms wrapped around the Zoro zombie and pinned his arms to the side.

He grunted and struggled against her hold. "I'm Number 1," he shouted as his arms burst free from her hold.

Nana scowled and placed her shotgun on her back. She then turned the dial around her glove and grabbed her hammer. "Robin...Chopper," she said as she and Pygmy ran forward to stand in between the zombies and her nakama, "Leave the zombies to me and Pygmy...You guys focus on Hogback and Cindry."

"Nana…" Chopper and Robin gasped.

"Yosh osh osh," Dr. Hogback laughed, "Three against one is hardly fair but if you want to think you can take them on, be my guest."

"Two against one," Nana said and she shot a look at the dogguin, "With a freebie."

_Thwack!_

The dogguin ran up to Pygmy and kicked him hard in the side. The dog yelped and skidded to the side.

"Pygmy!" Nana cried.

"Thirty-six Pound Phoenix!" the Zoro zombie shouted as he sent a flying attack towards Nana, Chopper, Robin, and the dogguin. They dove out of the way and it exploded into the wall behind them.

"You jerk!" the dogguin shouted at the Zoro zombie, "Watch where you're aiming, moron!'

"What was that, you bastard?" the Zoro zombie snapped back, "You're a nuisance the way you dart around everywhere."

"Okay...I can see the similarities now," Nana said as she dashed forward past the pair just as the deer-ram came charging at her.

"Wrathful smash!" the ram yelled as it's horns collided into Nana's stomach.

"Gah," Nana grunted as blood dripped out of her mouth. Nana's hands clutched the ends of its horns and dug her feet into the floor, stopping the ram from pushing her any further. Suddenly, she saw the dogguin behind her.

"Don't kick her! She's a lady!" Chopper cried.

"A lady?" the dogguin scoffed and kicked Nana hard in the back, sending her flying forward and past the freezer doors, "What of it?"

"Nana!" Robin and Chopper called out.

"Yosh osh osh osh," Dr. Hogback laughed at Nana, "So you really all bark but no bite."

The three zombies started to step towards Robin and Chopper. "Dammit," Chopper gasped, "I didn't expect the dogguin to kick Nana."

"At the beginning zombies do retain some of their original thoughts," Dr. Hogback sneered, "But once the shadows have fully settled into their bodies they become completely obedient to us. They've completely lost their human hearts."

"I'm happy to see that you're rotten to the core, Hogback!" Chopper called out.

"What?!" Dr. Hogback yelled.

"I really did respect you as a doctor…" Chopper said slowly, "The same goes for your zombie research. Death can come so suddenly...and I'm sure that there are a lot of things the deceased and those they left behind never got a chance to say. So bringing back someone back to life, even if it is for a few minutes, would mean the world to those it saved...so when you told me you were researching how to resurrect the dead, I really did think that you were truly an amazing doctor."

"Yosh osh osh osh," Hogback laughed, "Fool! Why would I go to such lengths for others? You said that you respected how I used to save lives, but it was the same deal. I was simply a genius! Can't you understand the hardships of a medical genius? Healing people and curing them from things that run of the mill quacks couldn't do gets old! I needed a challenge...and this research is a breakthrough!"

"I don't consider you a doctor!" Chopper screamed at the top of his lungs, "All you've done is reanimate the dead. They aren't alive! Don't take life so lightly!"

"Yosh osh osh," Hogback shrieked, "They're moving right before your very eyes and you think they aren't alive? Dr. Chopper, the 'dead' are given a second shot at life. It's a miracle!"

He walked towards Cindry, his high heeled boots clicking along the tile floor. "Behold!" he shouted before kicking her hard across the room. Robin and Chopper gasped but the Zoro zombie pointed a sword at their throat.

"Don't move," he growled.

"Cindry-chan, lick the floor!" Hogback commanded.

"Yes...Hogback-sama," Cindry stonily replied.

Robin and Chopper watched in horror as she obeyed without any hesitation and under the sinister and twisted grin of Dr. Hogback.

"You saw the room, right? Dr. Chopper? The one with her pictures?" Hogback rumbled, "That's actually my room."

Chopper's eyes widened.

"The numerous photos were of the stage actress Victoria Cindry before she died," Hogback creepily stated, "I had been in love with her for a very long time. I wasn't the only one. Her beauty had charmed men across the country. She was kind to everyone and was a very special woman...but she rejected my proposal. Me! A world renowned doctor who could get anything he wanted...and when I found out she had died in a stage accident, I felt like my life had been drained and I abandoned my work…"

He took a deep breath, "And then one day, a giant man appeared before me. It was my master, Gecko Moria. He asked me to lend him a hand and I boarded this ship with only one condition. That he would use his miraculous ability to resurrect Cindry!"

"So you stole her body?!" Chopper cried incredulously.

"It was so easy to obtain the actress and bend her to my will," Hogback replied, "The personality of the woman who had spurned me was of little consequence. As long as she retained her beauty."

Chopper's whole body shook in anger. "Make her stop licking the floor!" he yelled with all his might, "By using corpses that can't stick up for themselves, you're creating nothing but monsters! For every zombie you create, you're making someone miserable."

Dr. Hogback raised his fists. "Don't lecture me on life when you're a mediocre doctor, pirate reindeer!" he roared.

_Piiiiiiiiii!_

A loud ring came bursting from the freezer doors and they all turned to see that cold steam was blasting out from one of the pipes. The pipe was slowly bending towards them. As the steam started to clear away, they saw Nana standing next to the pipe, with dried blood on her lips, and her metal glove directly grabbing onto the pipe.

"Hey...wh-what do you say," Nana stuttered through her chattering teeth, "...we all just cool the fuck down?"

She jerked the pipe closer to her and the cold air blasted directly towards the three Straw Hat zombies, chilling the entire room. The jet of steam fogged up the room and for a second, no one could see anything.

"Nana Special," she shouted as she blasted three shots from her cannon directly into the trajectory of the steam, "Instant Popsicle!"

_Bang! Bang! Bang!_

Three jets of water came out of the barrel and froze into sharp icicles. Nana caught them with her left hand before they could fall to the floor and she dashed forward towards the three zombies. She came up from behind the dogguin, who spun around and tried to kick her in the face but his speed was considerably slower than before. His limbs and body were stiff from the direct blast of freezing air.

"What the-" the dogguin gasped.

"No blood. No warmth," Nana smirked as she jabbed one of the icicles straight into his mouth.

"Ahhhhh," the dogguin screamed.

Nana ducked just in time to avoid the sword of the swordsman zombie. She lifted her right, metal gloved hand and immediately the blades slammed against the magnet. He tried to pull back his sword but Nana yanked it out of his grip with a hard tug. "You're pretty strong," Nana said as she shoved the second icicle at his mouth, smashing his teeth, and pushing it down his throat, "But you're no Zoro."

"Gahhh," the zombie gagged as he backed away.

"Wrathful Smash!"

Nana spun around just as the deer-ram slammed into her once more. She grabbed the horns, forcing her to drop the third icicle, but this time she didn't dig her feet to the ground. She let the ram run forward and push them out of the steam.

"NANA!" Robin and Chopper cried as soon as she came into view. The Zoro zombie and Sanji zombie fell the floor with their shadows coming out of their throats.

"Take care of Hogback and Cindry!" Nana shouted just as she smashed through the window by the deer-ram, "Don't worry about me!"

"Woof woof!" Pygmy barked as he leapt out of the window after Nana, who held tightly to the deer-ram.

Nana slammed her feet into the deer-ram's face, released her grip, and sent it crashing back through the building. She tucked into a ball and landed hard into the ground below. Pygmy fell on top of her with a loud thud. The wind was knocked out of her and they both laid there in a daze. It took a few minutes for Nana to come to.

When she did, she groaned and slowly stepped out from under the rubble. She put her hands on her back and stretched her spine, while she looked down at Pygmy. "You okay, Pyg?"

Pygmy whimpered with stars still in his eyes and she knelt down next to him. "Idiot," she scoffed while rubbing his back, "We've been shot farther and harder than that with my cannons."

She then looked up at the hole in the building where the deer-ram had created. It was two levels down from where Chopper and Robin were. "Damn it. I didn't get a chance to get my own shadow back," she grunted.

Pygmy got up to his feet and he barked up at Nana. He stopped short and perked up his ears. He sniffed the air. He turned towards the side and then started to growl.

"What is it, Pyg?" Nana asked as Pygmy sprinted forward. Nana ran after him, "Pygmy! What?!"


	36. Absalom

As much as he hated to admit it, but Sanji was getting his ass kicked. The Clear-Clear fruit user was taking full advantage of the fact that Sanji had Nami-san in his arms. Sanji couldn't fight back, otherwise Nami-san might get hurt in the process, so all he could do was keep her held above his head while he took the blows.

"Phantom Leg!" Nami's abductor shouted as he kicked Sanji hard in the back.

Sanji grunted and gritted his teeth but he stood firm as he protected Nami-san through it all.

"I wouldn't drop that woman if I were you!" his opponent taunted.

 _I know that!,_ Sanji snarled. He was in too much pain and too concentrated to actually verbalize his thoughts. There was a sound of metal and Sanji braced himself for the incoming attack.

_Shing! Clank!_

"Catch."

Sanji stiffened as something leaned against his back hard. He peeked over his shoulder and his eyes widened at the sight of the angel. She stood back to back with him. Pygmy growling by her feet and sniffing the air. She had caught a small dagger between her palms, with it predominantly stuck on her metal glove.

"Nana-chan!" he gasped.

"Quiet! I'm trying to listen," she ordered in a low tone. Pygmy immediately silenced as well.

"You…" a soft voice purred and Nana threw the dagger across the room.

_Thwack!_

The dagger floated in midair for a second before blood started to drip from it. A man with a lion's muzzle stitched to his face came into view. The dagger lodged squarely in his shoulder. He only wore pants and Nana could see that his upper body was stitched together with patches of skin and muscle that clearly did not belong on his body.

"You…" he snarled, "You, you bitch! Y-Y-You're the one who attacked me in the bathroom! You're the one covered in ugly scars."

"Have you-" Nana started to say but she couldn't finish her snappy comeback to tell him to look at himself in the mirror. An instant feeling of danger was exuding from behind her back.

"Nana-chan…" Sanji growled.

Without another word, Nana found herself holding Nami in her arms.

"I'll leave Nami-san to you…" Sanji said, not even looking over at her. He took a few steps forward and then his fiery rage returned and consumed his body.

"Just when I thought that our bad blood couldn't get any thicker…," Sanji roared at the lion man, "You dared to peep at the angel and COMPLAIN?!"

"The angel?" the invisible man scoffed, oblivious to the land mine he had triggered, "You call her an angel? She's more like a wild animal. With her scarred body and barbaric nature...So not my type. You can have her."

"I can't expect to explain Nana-chan's beauty to you. As it is a waste of breath to explain high art to a wild animal like yourself," Sanji spat.

Nana's mind inevitably flashed to an image of a volcano at the point just before eruption and she regarded the cook with mild amusement until she heard his next words.

"How would a barbarian like you appreciate Nana-chan fully? Every scar on her body is a symbol of her dedication, her strength, her fearlessness, and her ambition. It's been finely crafted into a work of divine art!"

Nana was taken aback by the cook's words. _Sanji…_

"How would a savage like you recognize an angel when it is in your presence?!" Sanji thundered as he lunged forward towards the invisible man, "Even a man with half a brain would be able to appreciate how unique Nana-chan is. But you don't because you are a varmint that needs to be put down!"

"Absalom-sama!" the two zombies in the back screeched as they watched Sanji land fiery kicks on their leader.

Every other kick seemed to make the lion man reappear before he became invisible again. Nana's eyebrows raised when she saw the flickering of his shadow beneath his feet. "I didn't know zombies could use devil fruit powers…"

"He's not a zombie, Nana-chan," Sanji growled as he continued to kick, "He's just an ungrateful monstrosity who deserves to rot in hell!"

Nana's eyes widened. _If he's not a zombie then…_

Sanji sent the the invisible man crashing through a row of pews and into the wall in the back, creating a man-shaped hole. He ran toward it and was about to give it a finishing kick when suddenly he felt arms wrap around his waist, pulling him back.

"Don't kill him!" Nana ordered, holding tightly to Sanji, "If he's not a zombie...then you can't kill him!"

Sanji froze and he pivoted at his waist so he could try to see the angel. She had her head pressed against his back and she was practically crushing his ribs. He moved his hands over to hers in an attempt to break her grip. "Nana-chan! After what he did to Nami-san? After what he said about you? He deserves-"

"I know what he said," Nana shouted frantically trying to pull him back, "But I don't care what that fucker thinks of me. I care about you! I know you're furious at him but it isn't something to dirty your hands over."

She shifted her hands so that it grabbed onto Sanji's. "Don't kill him! Please don't ruin your hands."

'I wasn't going to use my hands, Nana-chan," Sanji said gruffly.

"I know but these are the hands of a brilliant cook. You're a craftsman! Not a killer. I love watching you cook. It's one of the best parts of my day...but if you kill him, everytime I watch you cook, all I'll think about is the blood you got on it. So please...please don't ruin them."

Sanji couldn't help but let out a smile and he relaxed his stance. "I already can't turn down a lady's heartfelt plea...but...when it comes to the request from an angel of mercy," he pulled his hands away from her and turned so that he was facing her. He put his hand under her chin and he pulled it up so that he could get lost in her shining eyes, "I am utterly defeated."

Relief flooded out of her face and let out a little sigh. "Thank you, Sanji."

"Do you really love watching me cook, Nana-chan?"

The angel's face suddenly turned bright red and she jerked away from his hold. "I-I-I-Idiot. It's just mutual respect from a fellow craftsman, that's all. Don't think too much into it!"

"Is Absalom-sama dead?" one of the zombies cried to the other one, drawing Nana's attention to them.

"I don't know," the other one shrieked, "But I-"

_Bang! Bang!_

Two shots of sea water were sent straight into their mouths.

"Quiet, this is a church after all," Nana stated as she lowered her water cannon and watched the shadows escape from their mouths. She could feel the cook's eyes on her but she refused to look at him.

She turned her attention to the sleeping navigator, that she had dropped onto the floor in her haste to intercept the chef, and she made her way towards Nami. "This isn't good. Nami needs to wake up," she sighed as she pointed the shotgun in Nami's face, "Apologies...but this might sting a little."

She was about to pull the trigger when the room began to shake violently. "What the-" she shouted as a giant foot broke through the roof sending chunks of stone hurtling down. Pygmy barked incessantly at it. Nana quickly jumped out of the way and away from Nami to avoid being directly hit by the rubble.

"Luffy's zombie?!" Sanji gasped as he rushed over to Nana and Nami. When he reached them, his eyes widened. Nami was no longer on the pew. "Nami-san vanished!"

Nana sat up from the floor. "Nami!" Nana gasped.

They heard a low growl towards the opened door of the church and they both turned towards the sound. "You bastard," Sanji seethed, "Can't believe you're still conscious."

"It looks like the tables are turned," the invisible man coughed.

Nana felt the floor continue to rumble and she looked back up at the roof. Luffy's zombie had started to move and it was stomping towards her and Sanji.

The invisible man laughed. "It looks like we finally have control over this devil. I've won! This time, she will be my bride!"

"Damn it, give Nami-san back!" Sanji demanded as a shadow fell over him and Nana.

"Watch out!" Nana shouted, shoving him and Pygmy out of the way just as the foot came down hard directly where they were standing.

They tumbled forward onto the ground as the giant continued to trudge through. He was so high up, he didn't even realize they were underfoot. The church continued to break. Sanji put his arm protectively over Nana's head as the whole building began to collapse around them while Nana put her body over Pygmy. They slowly crawled out of the debris when the floor stopped shaking.

Sanji coughed and slammed his fists on the ground, "Damn it...He got away with Nami-san…"

Nana lifted her head and looked down at Pygmy. "Pyg found him before. He can find him again."

He licked her nose and she breathed a sigh of relief. She rolled off of him so he could get up on his feet. He shook his fur, sending dust and small pebbles flying everywhere. Nana gave him a rub on the head. "Can you still smell him or Nami?" she asked her pet and the pet licked her face.

Nana grinned and looked over at Sanji. The angle also gave her a good look at Luffy's zombie and her eyes widened. He had his arms raised over his head and his fists were clenched. "Come out, Straw Hat Crew!" he bellowed.

"The freak...Is he trying to get in our way?" Sanji asked.

Nana and Sanji got up to their feet and stared at the zombie. Nana's eyes fell on his arm and she gasped. "Our wanted posters...He has our wanted posters! He's going to recognize us."

Wordlessly, Sanji pulled off her helmet and her goggles and stuffed it in his pocket. "No...he won't. Not all of us anyways," he said, "Go save Nami-san...I'll take it from here."

"What?" Nana gasped.

"You said so yourself. Pygmy could track Nami-san," Sanji stated calmly, "So you two go get her. As much as I want to go with you, I need to make sure this bastard doesn't follow along with you and create more trouble. But don't worry. He's not going to recognize me from the poster."

Nana gulped and then nodded. She jumped onto Pygmy's back and they sprinted in the direction of the mansion.

"Oy!" Sanji called up to the zombie, "Why in the world are you getting in our way, Luffy?"

"Luffy?" the giant growled, "He is my enemy. My name is Oars...Nice to meet you."

Sanji lit a new cigarette. "Stuff it. What's 'nice' about this? Sheesh! You sound just like Luffy."

Oars lifted his arm and looked down at it. "Oh! You look just like the picture on the wanted poster."

"WHAT?!" Nana gasped and quickly turned Pygmy back.

"What looks the same?!" Sanji demanded at the same time.

"Huh? Your whole face," Oars drawled.

"No, it doesn't! Shut up! I hate that drawing," Sanji seethed.

Nana couldn't help but look guiltily back at Sanji. _Ugh...he'll never forgive me when he finds out that was from me..._

Sanji turned just in time to catch Nana's eyes. "Go! It's fine!" he insisted.

"Are you one of the pirates too?" Oars asked as he peered over at Nana and then back at his arm.

"Shit," Sanji cursed.

"Oh...I guess not," Oars shrugged and fixed his gaze back at Sanji.

"Tch, at least he is a birdbrain like Luffy," Sanji sighed. He looked over at Nana and he smiled confidently at her. "Don't worry, Nana-chan. I can handle it. Please trust me." Nana gulped and then nodded her head. She sprinted off on Pygmy's back.

"At any rate, _you_ are one of the pirates, right?" Oars asked Sanji.

"So what if I am?!" Sanji shouted back defiantly.

"Hurry, Pyg," Nana pleaded as they galloped into the mansion, "The faster we get Nami, the faster we can come back and help."

The mansion was shaking, acting as a reminder to Nana of the battle happening outside. They ran up the stairs and through the hallway until they found Absalom with the still unconscious Nami in a bedroom.

"It doesn't matter if there is no officiant. We already said our vows," Absalom muttered and puckered his lips, "With this kiss, you will officially become my lifelong companion."

"I object to this on so many levels!" Nana roared as her and Pygmy charged through with her hammer in hand.

"EEEEE!" Absalom screamed when he saw Nana coming with her hammer. He instinctively put his hands between his legs for protection, dropping Nami in the process, as he began to disappear.

Nana swung her hammer just as he turned invisible but it struck nothing. "Shit!" she seethed as Nami's head hit the ground hard.

Nami winced in pain and her eyes flew open. The first thing she saw was Nana's hammer. "What the hell, Nana?!" she yelled as she kicked Nana in the shoulder, sending her off of Pygmy's back, "Why'd you hit me for?"

Nana looked at her incredulously. "Really? You think _that's_ what happened?"

Nami pointed an accusing finger at Nana's hammer, "Then why are you holding your ham- Ah! Why am I wearing gloves?" Then she looked down at her body, "Why am I wearing a wedding dress?!"

"You bitch. You've interfered too many times," Absalom growled.

Nami gasped and hid behind Nana. "Oh, _now_ you want my protection?" Nana snapped at the navigator.

Before Nami could respond, something crashed through the roof. Nami and Nana jumped to the side to avoid getting crushed. "Curse you, Namizo!" a giant warthog in a wedding dress shouted as she circled like a tornado with two swords clasped in her hooves.

"L-L-Lola?!" Absalom shrieked, reappearing in the corner of the room.

"Namizo…! Why, you…!" the warthog seethed, glaring down hard at Nami.

"Nami...zo?!" Nana asked with a raised eyebrow.

"How dare you try to steal him from me? You said that you were shipping us! That was a lie, wasn't it?!" the warthog shouted accusingly at Nami, "You were doing the opposite of shipping us, and trying to steal Ab-sama. You're a two-faced jerk!"

"W-wait, Lola!" Nami protested, "I've been out cold this whole time. I don't even know what's going on."

Nana got to her feet and she casually rested her hammer over her shoulders. "This is turning out to be quite the soap opera, right, Pyg? Imagine if Nami woke up with amnesia..."

"Yip!" Pygmy barked and wagged his tail.

"You're not helping, Nana!" Nami snapped in her direction.

"Pay attention to me when I'm talking to you, traitor!" Lola shouted as she started to chop her swords on the ground towards Nami.

Nami quickly crab-walked backwards to avoid getting hit. "Wait! You've got it all wrong!" she shrieked.

"Damn it, Lola!" Absalom growled, "Not only did you crash my wedding, but now you have the gall to attack my bride?!"

Lola stomped her hoof in the ground and spun to face him. "Shut up and marry me!"

His eyes popped out of their sockets. "Hell no!"

Lola snorted and then straightened her back. "Ab-sama...I bet you don't know, do you?"

"A-About what?" Absolom asked.

Lola swung her sword in Nami's direction but kept her eyes fixed on Absalom. "This woman's real name is Namizo...and 'she' is actually a 'he'!"

"What?!" Absalom shrieked.

"Pffffffffft," Nana sputtered, unable to contain her laughter. She bent forward and clutched her stomach as she laughed hysterically, "Pwahhahahahahahah. Bwahahahahhahahaha."

"SHUT UP, NANA!" Nami seethed.

"I-I-I've been chasing a man this whole time?" Absalom gasped as he started to back away from them, "And...I came within an inch of kissing him? But...but I checked his body in the bathroom."

"Make yourself scarce, Namizo and Namizo's friend!" Lola shouted as she lunged towards both Nami and Nana with her swords.

"Stop it, Lola!" Nami cried as the warthog chased her, Nana, and Pygmy back. Nana's eyes widened when she realized that the swords were avoiding them on purpose.

"Namizo," Lola whispered as she fixed her face with a menacing glare, "Run for it. I will hold him back! I came to rescue you, my friend."

"What?" Nami gasped as Lola spun around and ran towards Absalom.

"Now, if that's sunk in, swear your vows to me instead, Absalom!" Lola declared and puckered her lips.

"Go, Nami!" Nana shouted. She turned her back on the warthog and pulled Nami towards the door.

"Lola, I'm sure she's a woman," Nana heard Absalom say and then she skidded to a halt when she heard the distinct sounds of two gun safeties clicking.

"Nana?" Nami asked.

"Shit. Sanji must be rubbing off on me," Nana cursed as she ran back towards Lola.

"Lola, stay out of my way!" Absalom roared. Nana tackled Lola to the ground just as the sounds of two bazookas blasted through the air, missing the warthog and the mechanic just by an inch. "What?!"

Nana glared at him and got to her feet. "How dare you try to hurt the only thing in the world who is dumb enough to love you?!"

Lola was stunned and her eyes were filled with tears. She was deeply hurt by Absalom's actions. "Namizo's friend…" she whispered.

"Yeah...Call me...er….Nano," Nana stated.

"WHAT?!" Nami asked incredulously.

Nana grinned at Nami. "What? You're the only one who gets to have fun around here?"

"How is this fun?!" Nami snapped.

"Stupid bitch," Absalom panted, "How dare you-?"

"How dare _you_ hurt a lady? How dare _you_ peep at two women taking a bath?" Nana shouted back. "How dare _you_ lick a woman without her permission? And-"

"What?!" Nami gasped.

"Robin," Nana replied curtly, "Not you."

"Oh, that's a relief."

"...And how dare _you_ try to marry an unconscious woman?!" Nana finished. Nana raised her hammer.

"Wait, Nana…"

Nana turned to look at Nami, who had her Clima-Tact in hand. "Let me handle this one."

Nana raised an eyebrow and then acquiesced. "I guess you do deserve to fight this one," Nana said and stepped aside, pulling Lola with her, "Just make it quick because the others are in a pinch, right now."

"Smart move," Absalom smirked, "That's right...It's not like you could escape anyways. I'm an invisible man."

"Thunder Charge!" Nami seethed as a bright yellow lightning buzzed at the tip of her weapon, "How dare you try to hurt Lola?"

Her Clima-Tact circled into a brilliant sphere of electricity and she charged forward.

"That's right! Dive into my arms!" Absalom shouted victoriously.

"Swing Arm!" Nana roared and swung her weapon at his head.

The lightning burst blasted and coursed throughout the lion's body. A charred Absalom fell backwards on to the floor. Smoke came out from all parts of his body, seeping out from between his stitches and even pouring out of his nose. Nami looked at him in surprise and poked him with her Clima-Tact. "Huh? It didn't even faze him when I zapped him the first time on top of the bridge..."

"Well, to be fair, I hit him hard between his catnip and Sanji did get several good kicks in," Nana said but Nami was too busy cheering at her own victory to hear her.

Nami pumped her fist in the air. "I won! Yay!"

Nana gave her a slow clap and rolled her eyes. "Huzzah," she said dryly, "Now can we go?"

Lola, who had been crying on the floor, instantly leapt to her feet. "Wait! Ab-sama is wide open!" she screamed as she charged towards the man beast.

"You got over that a little too quickly! Don't come crying to us when there's domestic abuse!" Nana snapped at her while Nami giggled.

Without warning, Nana grabbed Nami and threw her on Pygmy. "What-," Nami started to protest but Nana looked at her solemnly.

"Luffy's zombie is awake and attacking our nakama. We need to get back to them now," Nana said.

Nami's eyes widened. "Luffy's zombie? The massive one I saw in the freezer?"

"The one and only," Nana said as she raced forward.

"Wait!" Nami shouted, "I have to go somewhere first!"

Nana skidded to a halt. She stared at Nami with bewilderment. "Where?" she demanded.

"The treasure room," Nami said with her eyes flashing with greed.

Nana slapped a palm to her face and went back to running. "Tch," she scoffed, "Do what you must. Take Pygmy with you so he can track where we are and bring you to us faster."

"Thanks! Does he also know how to track the smell of gold?" Nami called behind her.

"MY DOG IS NOT A METAL DETECTOR!" Nana thundered back.


	37. Milk, Salt, and Ice

Nana raced down the stairwell of the mansion. She skidded to a halt when she heard incoming footsteps. She grabbed her hammer and pressed her back against the wall. The footsteps grew louder and she took a deep breath.

She leapt around the corner with her hammer in the air. "Die, zombie, die!" she screamed.

Brook immediately covered his face with his arms. "Ahhh! Zombie! Where?!" he shrieked.

Nana stopped her hammer just a few inches away from breaking his forearm bone. "Brook?" she asked incredulously, "What are you doing here?"

Brook lowered his arms. "You scared me! I almost jumped out of my skin. AH! Even though-"

"You're already dead so you have no skin. Yes, I get it. Skull joke," Nana huffed as she put her hammer on her back, "Seriously. What are you doing here?"

"I'm looking for- Ah! I'm looking for that!" Brook said and he pointed behind Nana.

She turned around and saw a room with a sign that said "Kitchen" dangling over it. "The kitchen?" she asked as Brook went into the room. Curiosity got the better of Nana and she followed him in.

The kitchen was dimly lit and it looked like it had just been ransacked. Cabinet doors were left wide open, some of the shelves have fallen out of place, and there were opened boxes and cans on the floor.

"What are we looking for?" Nana asked. Her foot kicked a bottle forward and the sound of its' rolling caught Brook's attention.

He gasped when he saw it. "There it is! MILK!" He swooped it up and clutched it tightly to his chest, "As I am now, this is the ultimate medicine. Okay. I just need to check the expiration date."

"HAVE YOU CHECKED _YOUR_ EXPIRATION DATE LATELY?!" Nana snapped impatiently as the skeleton held the bottle up towards its empty eye socket.

Brook took a deep breath. "This should be okay...I think we're in the clear. I'll drink this for the sake of the others! Bottoms up!"

He opened the bottle and chugged it within seconds. "Whooooahhh!" he cried, "I can feel it! I can feel it!"

"Really?" Nana's eyes widened and she stared at the skeleton.

"I can feel the calcium seeping into every pore of my body," Brook gasped, "...But since I'm a skeleton, I don't have any pores."

"You better pray there's more milk because I'm about to smash your skull in," Nana grunted.

Brook pumped his fists in the air. "I'm aliiiiiiiive!" he yelled at the top of his lungs. Then he fell to his knees, "Oh..I screamed too loudly and that made me dizzy."

Nana smacked him hard across the head with her palm. "Stop wasting my time!"

Brook leapt to his feet. "Yes, you're quite right. This is hardly the time to waste energy on such silly nonsense. We must get what I came here for quickly and return to the others."

"We have to find _more_ stuff?" Nana asked.

Brook ignored her and walked towards a heavily chained door in the back. "This looks heavily suspicious don't you think?"

He was about to raise his sword to slash the chains when Nana put her hand on his arm. "Allow me," she said and pulled out a little screwdriver from her pocket. She knelt down and Brook gasped.

"Miss! Your shadow-"

"Ah," Nana said without looking up, "They took it and I haven't had time to get mine back. And call me Nana. No one has called me Miss since...well...Ever."

She picked at the locks and within seconds the chains fell the floor. She glanced over at Brook's feet and she smiled. "Looks like Zoro and Franky got your shadow back."

"Yes, they did. Which is why I'm here so that I can repay you all for your kindness of retrieving my shadow," Brook said appreciatively and then he opened the door. They saw five pound sacks on the floor and Brook poked his finger into one of them. There was a white powdery substance at the tip of his finger and put it in his mouth. "Yes...I think this is it...But I have no tongue so-"

Nana smacked him on the head again. "It clearly says 'Salt' on the front of the bags. Don't go out of your way to make skull jokes."

"Yohohohoho, you caught me."

Nana rolled her eyes at the skeleton but then something caught her attention. It was another large metal door but with a thicker frame than the one they had just broken into. She walked over to it and pulled it open. A cold blast of air hit her face. "Another freezer," she murmured and then her eyes widened. _That's it!_

She raised her hammer and called out over her shoulder, "Brook! You go ahead. I'll join you in a minute...I've got some work to do."

* * *

The Straw Hats were in a panic. Brook had come to them with a giant bag of salt and they thought fortune was in their favor. Even Nami had appeared to strengthen their odds but then Moria had showed up within Oars' stomach. He was able to stretch Oars' limbs by manipulating Moria's shadows, as if Oars had eaten the Gum Gum fruit himself.

"Kishishishishi," Moria laughed from his cockpit. They had successfully taken out Franky and Brook and now he was manipulating Oars to go after Usopp.

"Gum-Gum Bazooka!" Oars shouted as he launched his arms forward, anticipating it to stretch out and crush the long nosed sniper.

"Ahhhh!" Usopp screamed and braced himself for the incoming blow but it never came.

He turned to see Robin with her arms crossed. "Ochenta Fleurs Cuatro Mano!"

Her arms grew out of Moria's body and they pinned him down to his chair. "Where did these arms come from?" Moria gasped, "They're annoying!"

"Could you stop manipulating his shadow for the time being?" Robin asked politely but sternly.

"What?!" Moria shrieked.

"Hold!" Robin cried and her arms tightened around Moria's body.

"Kishishishishi," Moria laughed with condescension, "You think that would stop me?" A shadow clone formed next to him. "Brick Bat!'

The clone broke into hundreds of little pieces and they flew towards Robin and bit her hard. Robin couldn't stop the attack and she fell back.

"What do you think you're doing to Robin-chan?!" Sanji shouted as he kicked the little pieces away. They fell onto the floor and morphed into flattened shadows. They started to group together and soon reformed into the shadow clone directly behind Robin.

"Moria's shadow?" Robin gasped.

"Kishishishi," the original Moria laughed from Oars' belly, "Let's see who is the most powerful long distance power holder. Your hold hurts pretty darn bad."

Robin concentrated on the original Moria and she got up to her feet. She recrossed her arms. "Cuatro Mano….Clutch!"

Her arms snapped Moria's neck and arms with a sickening bone-crunching sound that echoed through the courtyard.

"Sweet! Good job, Robin!" Nami and Usopp cheered.

"Robin! Watch out for the shadow behind you!" Zoro warned.

Robin's eyes widened and she turned around to see the shadow clone still standing behind her but with Moria's actual head. "Kishishishishi," he laughed.

"Huh? What is Moria doing here?" Nami cried in horror.

"You were so close," Moria taunted, "Doppelman and I can switch places at any given minute. The one you dislocated was the shadow clone that was just here a few seconds ago."

He pulled out his large scissors and started to peel off Robin's shadow. He clutched her shadow tightly in his fist and squeezed his scissors.

"Robin-chan!" Sanji cried.

"Robin!" Nami, Usopp, and Zoro shouted.

"Cut this, you bastard!" a loud female voice shouted from above.

"NANA!" Usopp, Chopper, and Nami gasped.

"What?!" Moria whipped his head around just in time for a giant cube of ice hit him squarely in the face. He switched with his shadow clone and returned to his seat with a bloody nose, leaving behind Robin's shadow.

"Nana-channnnnn!" Sanji cheered and he started to wave little paper flags with hearts printed on them, "Nana-chan! Nana-chan!"

"You okay?" Nana called down from the broken breezeway overhead. In front of her was a massive square cannon with a bunch of pipes and nozzles sticking out from the back.

"Yes. Thank you, Weaponsmith," Robin said as she got up to her feet.

"Why is your cannon square?!" Usopp asked exasperatedly.

Nana grinned, "I made it out of the freezer in their kitchen." She looked around for Franky to show it off but then her eyes fell on the unconscious body of the cyborg. Pygmy was sitting dutifully next to him and licking his face. "Franky!" she gasped and then she saw Brook lying in the rubble. Her eyes blazed with fury as they shot to the giant, "You're going to fucking pay for that!"

She was about to leap towards Franky when Robin grabbed her ankles from the floor. "Calm down, Weaponsmith, or else you're going to get knocked out too!"

"Gosh darn it, Master, this is supposed to be my fight," Oars' booming voice shouted down.

"I'm sorry, Oars," Moria yelled back, "I got too carried away. Make them pay for what they've done to me!"

"I'll finish off those women for you," Oars shouted as he jumped high into the air and raised his fists at Robin and Nana, "Gum Gum Bazooka!"

"Diable Jambe!" Sanji cried as he raised his fiery leg towards Oars' fists, "Frit Assorti!"

His kick repelled Oars' attack and his hands flew to the side. "Robin-chan. You should get out of the way," Sanji warned.

Suddenly, Chopper's voice called down from above. "Sanji! Zoro!" The Straw Hats looked up to see Chopper standing on Oars' shoulder. "I've been searching for what caused Oars to die 500 years ago!" he shouted.

"Cause of death?" Zoro asked.

"Go after his right arm! This isn't his real arm," Chopper instructed, "Hogback reconstructed it but there's signs of orrible frostbite around the stitches. I can't say for certain but I suspect he froze to death 500 years ago. Even a monster like this couldn't withstand the elements," Chopper shouted, "He died while wandering the Land of Ice. Even 500 years ago, I'd wager Oars walked around there mostly naked."

"He's an idiot!" Nana gasped.

"I don't want to lose to someone that stupid!" Zoro and Sanji cried at the same time.

"Zombies may not feel pain, but they still take damage," Chopper continued, "All of the attack we've landed are accumulating. If we take out this arm, we can cut his offensive power in half. Long story short, focus on this one arm!"

"Why are you talking up a storm while standing on my shoulder?" Oars bellowed and slammed his left fist down on Chopper.

"Chopper!" Sanji and Zoro shouted.

Oars lifted his fist and was stunned to see Chopper was not there.

"Since you're a zombie, you have no idea how much damage your punch just did to your own body." Chopper's voice came through from Oars' fist. His head popped out to reveal that Chopper had turned into his normal form, "I'm tiny so the crevices in your fist are like caves."

He popped a rumble ball in his mouth. "Jumping Point!" he called and leapt out of Oars' clutches, "Arm Point!"

Chopper's arm bulged to his side and he raised his hoof. "Sanji! I need a lift," he called.

"Ah," Sanji said as he leapt off of Oars' arm towards Chopper while Nana aimed her cannon.

"Nana Special!" Nana said. She fired at the bandage right above Oars' elbow. "Ice Block!"

"Armée de L'air…" Sanji shouted as he swung his leg upwards for Chopper to land on his calf.

Chopper drew back his hoof. "Cloven…"

"Roseo Shoot!" Sanji and Chopper cried as Sanji jetted Chopper forward towards Oars.

The block of ice sailed forward smashing into little pieces when it hit Oars' arm just as Chopper landed a huge blow on the same spot, leaving a large sakura shaped indentation.

"You jerks!" Oars shouted, "Stop hitting me in one spot! Those attacks aren't going to work."

"They'll work!" Chopper insisted, "Pain is a signal meant to protect the body. Lacking pain doesn't make you strong!"

"Chopper!" Sanji warned as he fell back to the ground.

"Yosh!" Chopper replied as he leapt into the air and off of Oars.

"Save your fuzzy logic!" Oars bellowed and leapt high into the air. He raised his fists angrily.

Zoro's eyes widened. "Oy! That looks bad, guys! Get away from there!"

"Gum Gum-" Oars shouted.

"Shiiiiit!" Nana cried as she turned some nozzles in the back of the cannon, "Nana Special!"

"Gatling!" Oars bellowed.

"Icy Blast!" Nana shouted simultaneously. Concentrated cold air blasted through the cannon over at Sanji and Chopper. The air pressure sailed forward and pushed them out of the way. They narrowly avoided the flurry of punches Oars threw down at them. Sanji and Chopper fell down hard onto the ground, their teeth chattering and their bodies shivering.

"W-W-W-We survived," Chopper stammered.

"Th-th-th-thank you, Na-Na-Nana-chan," Sanji stuttered, his face a sickly blue.

"Ocho Fleurs," Robin called as her hands sprouted from the floor and pulled the frozen Straw Hats to the side.

"Kishishishishi," Moria laughed, "You're just delaying the inevitable. Oars! Take down the one with the cannon."

"Yes, Master," Oars said and he bent his arm back. "Gum Gum…Pistol!"

"Yeah right," Nana scoffed and readied her cannon, "I just got in the fight and you want to take me out?! Ice Machine!"

Oars' fist flew towards Nana just as a stream of large ice chunks shot out of the cannon like a machine gun. It kept hitting his fist but it did not stop Oars one bit. Nana leapt off of the breezeway just as Oars' arm extended and smashed the breezeway, taking out the cannon as well.

"Nana!" Usopp and Nami screamed.

"What?" Nana growled as she landed safely on her feet. She dashed forward before the avalanche of stone could hit her. "You think I'd just stand there and take a hit?"

She grabbed her hammer off her back and raced towards Oars' feet. "Zoro!"

"Usopp!" Zoro ordered as he ran alongside Nana, "We'll create an opening. You do your thing."

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Usopp gasped.

"And you two! Hurry and warm up!" he shouted at the shivering Chopper and Sanji.

"D-d-d-don't tell me what to do, you sh-sh-shitty morimo," Sanji spat through his chattering teeth.

"I-I-I-I might be a reindeer but I'm not entirely immune to freezing temperatures," Chopper wailed.

"Go on!" Moria urged, "Stomp all over them, Oars!'

"Gum Gum…" Oars roared and Zoro leapt into the air. He raised his swords.

"108 pound-" he growled.

"Bell!" Oars cried and struck his head against Zoro. The force of it sent Nana flying back with her hammer before she could even strike his ankle. The swordsman crashed into the tower behind him.

Oars threw a punch at him but Zoro quickly leapt out of the way and back onto the ground. "Damn it. I need to avoid any direct hits or else I'll be out of the game," he growled.

"Nana Special!" Nana yelled, "Buzz Cut!"

The saw around her hammer head slashed through the back of Oars' ankle but he didn't even falter. Oars glared down at her and raised his foot.

"Get out of there, Nana!" Usopp screamed.

Nana ran out of the way just as the giant's foot slammed down onto the ground, sending her tumbling forward. She swiftly got back up to her feet and gasped for breath. "Come on...Nana…" she grumbled to herself, "What do I do?"

"Weaponsmith! Moria controls Luffy's shadow," Robin called as she ran to Nana's side, "Stop Moria and Oars can no longer stretch like Luffy."

"Got it," Nana said and switched her hammer for her bazooka, "Can you pin down Moria again?"

"I can try…" Robin said and crossed her arms. "Cuatro Fleur"

Four arms grabbed Moria by the neck and arms. "Kishishishi," he said, "Like I'd fall for that again! Brick Bat!"

His shadow bats came swarming towards Nana and Robin again. "God damn it," Nana cursed as she shot her water shotgun at the bats before they could get close to Robin.

_Bang! Bang! Bang!_

The sea water exploded around the bats making them disappear on impact. "What?!" Moria shouted, "Sea water?!"

"Master! I said this was my fight," Oars complained, "You keep out of this!"

"It is not my fault when I'm getting attacked directly, Oars," Moria said defensively.

Oars pouted like a child. "I don't care. This is my fight."

"Nana...how many rounds do you have left?" Robin asked quietly as the two bickered.

"Two," Nana murmured back, "So we need to make these count."

"Nana!" Robin suddenly cried, "Where's your shadow?!"

"Huh?" Nana asked and then saw that Robin was staring at her feet, "Oh yeah...The deer-ram got away before I could get it back."

"WHAT?! You don't have your shadow?!" Nami and Usopp cried.

"We thought you got it back since you got Zoro's and Sanji's," Usopp continued.

"Damn it. I thought we just had to focus on Luffy's," Zoro seethed, "And the sun is rising soon."

He fitted his sword back in his mouth. "Oy, monster!" he called out to Oars, "Why don't we finish this up?"

"Kishishishi," Moria laughed, "Do you seriously hope to defeat us when you're gasping for breath? Oars! Finish him!"

Oars leapt high up into the air, "Gum Gum-"

"One Gorilla, Two Gorilla!" Zoro called as his biceps bulged exponentially, "Three Sword Style..."

"Pistol!" Oars called as his fist came down again.

"Two Gorilla slash!" Zoro shouted as his swords collided against Oars' punch, stopping it from crushing him. He gritted his teeth and with a shout, he swung Oars' fist into the floor below.

"Jerk!" Oars seethed. He started to move towards Zoro but then his eyes widened when he realized his fist was stuck in the ground. "Aw man, this bites."

"Three Sword Style," Zoro snarled, "Yaksha Crow!"

"Nana Special!" Nana shouted, "Buzz Saw!"

The two of them raced up Oars' right arm, slicing and cutting it up. Oars bellowed and tried to jerk away.

"Th-They did it! That worked!" Nami gasped.

Oars roared with fury. "Not my right arm again! Quit going after it! I said that doesn't hurt me!"

Immediately, Nana and Zoro jumped off of opposite sides of Oars arm. "You're bouncing every which way," he complained.

Suddenly he vanished in front of Zoro's eyes and appeared behind him. He kneed the swordsman hard, slamming him against the other tower.

"He's fast!" Nana gasped as she fell to the floor. She ran towards Nami to regroup.

"Hey, Oars!" Usopp shouted, "Over here!"

"Huh?" Oars asked as he looked over at the sniper.

"Ochenta Fleur!" Robin shouted. Eighty arms sprouted one after another creating a long, tall chain. The arm at the very top held Nana's water cannon and it aimed it directly at Moria.

"WHAT?!" Moria gasped.

With a loud snap of a giant leather slingshot, Usopp sent the large bag of salt flying into Oars' mouth just as Robin pulled the trigger.

_Bang! Bang!_

Oars gulped. "What was that?" he growled, "I swallowed something."

"Ahhhhhh!" Moria cried as sea water hit his face.

"We did it," Robin said with a sigh of relief.

"I got Oars to eat salt!" Usopp cheered and started to laugh with joy.

Their happiness died and their faces soon switched from happiness to horror as Moria's turned into the face of his shadow clone that melted from the sea water. The real Moria stepped out from Oars' mouth, holding up the bag of salt gleefully in his hands.

"Kishishishi," Moria laughed, "I was guarding it internally this whole time. You were living in a fool's paradise if you thought I was going to knowingly leave his weakness wide open, stupid!"

"Damn it," Usopp cursed hopelessly as he fell to his knees.

"You dropped this, Long Nose!" Moria taunted as he threw the salt back towards Usopp.

"Doce Fleur," Robin said calmly as her twelve arms sprouted from the ground to catch the bag.

"Kishisishishi. Like I'd give you guys a second chance to do the same thing," Morio scoffed.

A shadow fell over Robin and Usopp. "Gum Gum Stamp!"

"Crush him!" Moria ordered just as Oars' giant foot came down hard on Robin and Usopp. The shockwave of the force threw Nami and Nana back.

"Usopp! Robin!" Nami and Nana screamed.

"Keep it up!" Moria shouted gleefully, "Turn them into dust. Same goes for those two women!"

Oars leapt high into the air and stomped down on Nami and Nana. They both screamed and covered their heads with their arms. Suddenly, Nana felt something strong wrap around her waist. It tightened and pulled Nami to her side. They were being lifted up to someplace high. She glanced up and her eyes widened. _L...L...Luffy?!_

Nana stared up at her captain. He was almost unrecognizable. For one, he was the size of a small house. Secondly, his skin had turned a pale blue. He held Nami and Nana in one fist while holding Robin and Usopp in the other.

"Oy...giant…" Luffy growled down from the top level of a broken tower, "What do you think you're crushing? There isn't a single soul under your feet."

Usopp sighed with relief. "I'm alive," he gasped and slowly turned his head upward to see who his savior was. "I have no idea who you are, but thank you from- what?!"

"No way!" Nami cried, following Usopp's gaze.

"Captain?!" Robin gasped.

Oars looked over his shoulder at them. "Who're you?" he demanded.

"Monkey D. Luffy!" Luffy declared.

Usopp couldn't believe his eyes. "Is it really you?!"

"Yes. It is me," Luffy replied sternly.

"But...even the way you talk is different," Usopp argued, "What happened to you?!"

Luffy lowered his nakama gently to the floor. "Did he defeat everyone else?" he asked solemnly.

"Uh...yeah...Except Chopper and Sanji were kinda taken out by Nana," Usopp said.

"Snitch," Nana scoffed, "Better frozen by me than crushed by Oars."

"I see...Get back," Luffy commanded and faced the giant, who was now marching over to them.

The Straw Hats gaped at their captain. They weren't sure what had happened to Luffy. He certainly looked stronger but was it enough to take on the giant?!

"But Luffy! That's your zombie! He has your shadow and he can stretch and everything," Usopp cried hysterically.

Nana gulped and she peered over the edge of the wall so that she could see the floor below. She spotted Sanji, Chopper, and Pygmy on the side while Zoro, Franky, and Brook were buried underneath the rubble. She looked back up at Luffy and she clenched her fist.

"Crush them, Oars!" Moria demanded.

"Of course!" Oars grunted back. He stretched back his arms and it twisted into a tight coil. "Gum Gum Rifle!"

"Here it comes!" Usopp screamed.

_Boom!_

His punch came to a screeching halt as Luffy blocked it with a single hand.

"WHAT?!" the Straw Hats and Moria cried.

"I am the one and only Luffy!" Luffy seethed.


	38. No More Hiding

Nana couldn't believe her eyes. Neither could the rest of her nakama. This newly transformed Luffy was throwing around Oars like they were of equal size. The giant zombie was flung further into the island and all the conscious Straw Hats could do was watch safely from the ledge of the building.

"What's going on?" Usopp asked out loud.

The sounds of Pygmy barking from below made Nana glance down to the rubble below and she gasped. "Wait...Look!"

A crowd of people were running towards the building. The Straw Hats were too high up to see them clearly and they could barely make out what they were shouting.

"Who are those people?" Nami asked.

Without hesitation Nana leapt out of the opening and jumped down to the ground. "Nana!" Nami and Usopp shouted after her.

Nana grabbed her hammer and ran towards the incoming crowd. She didn't know if they were friends or foe, but they were getting too close to Sanji and the rest of the crew. "Back off!" she shouted.

"Wait! Wait!" a lady shouted from the front of the crowd. She was a hefty girl with thick red lips and rounded eyes. Her pink hair was tied into two loose pigtails that hung down to her waist, "We're here to help! We're the ones who helped create Nightmare Luffy."

"N-n-n-nightmare Luffy?" Sanji stuttered from a distance.

Nana's eyes widened and she came to his side. He had Chopper clutched to his chest to keep warm. "Sanji...are you okay?"

As soon as Sanji spotted Nana, he threw Chopper to the side and grabbed her to him. "I'm so cold, Nana-chan! Please give me your warmth!"

"Ahhh! Sanji! What the hell are you doing?" Chopper protested as he got up to his feet.

"Tch," Nana scoffed but wrapped her arms around Sanji and started to rub his shoulders. "Fine...considering you're this way because of me."

Sanji nestled his head on her chest and he could feel the blood surge throughout his body. "Happy...I'm so happy…" he swooned as his nose started to bleed.

"Don't bleed on me, you idiot!" Nana shouted and shoved him away. He rolled away and landed face first against a heavy boulder.

"Hopeless. Sanji is hopeless!" Chopper vented, shaking his fist at the cook.

A thousand arms sprouted down from the building, creating a long vine, and Usopp, Nami, and Robin climbed down it and ran over to the group.

"I can explain what is going on," the pink haired lady shouted. Nana's ears perked up and she tilted her head to listen to the woman talk more. "We planted the shadows of a hundred people into your captain."

 _Lola?_ Nana thought curiously as she looked at the woman.

"So that's why he looks so different…" Robin said with her arms folded across her chest.

"It won't last long though," one of the men in the crowd stated, "The shadows that we crammed into him will eventually fly back out. We feel bad about what we did to your captain but we want to walk under the sun once more. We want to be human again! He is our hope!"

"The sun is going to rise soon," the woman said, "These few minutes will determine the fate of everyone who has fallen victim to this island."

Sanji slowly got up to his feet and wiped his nosebleed "Nana-chan," he chattered as he pushed himself up from the ground, "You need to...get indoors. You don't have your shadow back yet and if the sun comes out you'll-"

"And so will Luffy," Nana said with frown, "How can I hide when our captain hasn't? I'm staying."

Before Sanji could say anything else, the mansion in front of them exploded and Oars came skidding through the rubble. The men closest to the demolition hurriedly retreated.

"Did...Luffy throw him?!" Nana gasped.

"Sweet! Keep it up, Nightmare Luffy!" Usopp cheered.

Oars groaned and then sat up with a grunt. He stomped to his feet and went charging through the island. "Jerk-face! You're just a shrimp! Gum-Gum Bullet!"

"Luffy!" Nana called out but the captain was too far away for her to see what was going on. All she could see was the giant monstrosity of Oars. She got up to her feet and then walked over to Nami and Usopp. "Do you think he's okay?"

The sounds of a million hard punches came echoing through the island. Oars began to stumble backwards, returning to broken mansion. Each step he took made the ground tremble.

"AHHHHHHHH!" Luffy's battle cry pierced through as Oars fell over backwards, casting a large shadow over the group.

"Watch out! He's collapsing!" the woman with Lola's voice shouted. Everyone rushed out of the way just as Oars crashed to the floor. Everyone stared at the motionless zombie with opened mouths.

"I...I don't believe it…" Usopp whispered.

"Wait! Where's Luffy?" Nami asked.

_Thwack!_

Luffy plummeted to the ground towards the edge of the mansion and he got up to his feet. Black globs of shadows emerged from all around his body and they shot up to the sky. With each shadow that escaped, Luffy's body became smaller and smaller.

"Luffy!" Usopp, Nami, and Nana shouted as they rushed over to their captain's side with Robin watching quietly.

The rubber man had returned to normal but he was unconscious. Usopp pulled him into his lap and started to shake him by the shoulders. "Luffy! Get up!"

"It's probably not our place to ask this...but will he be okay?" one of the men inquired.

"Yeah, definitely not your place," Nana barked back at him, "So shut the hell up."

"I bet he's exhausted," the woman said worriedly, "He single-handedly wielded the power of a hundred men."

Nana stuck her arm out to the floor and saw that her shadow had not returned. "I thought knocking Moria down would get our shadows back. How come that hasn't happened yet?"

"EEEP!" Usopp shrieked, "I forgot that you didn't have your shadow yet. How are we supposed to get it back?"

"Moria reigns over the shadows. Unless he personally says, 'Return to your original master', our shadows won't come back," the woman said.

Nana rushed to her feet and grabbed her hammer. "Then what are we waiting for," she growled.

She ran towards the giant zombie and then skidded to a halt when it's foot started to twitch. "What the…?!"

The ground shook violently and with a loud roar, Oars got back to his feet. The men cried out in horror as Oars' eyes moved to the rubber man. "That didn't hurt at all," he muttered.

Nana narrowed her eyes and then something on the side caught her attention. She shifted her gaze and then let out a small gasp when she saw Franky and Pygmy running into the building behind Oars. She was about to go after them when she felt a small tug on her leg.

She looked down to see Chopper, who nodded at her solemnly. "Let's go, Nana."

Nana was confused and was about to ask what was going on when Sanji sprinted past her, grabbing her hand, and pulling her behind him. She ran along with the chef and the doctor, not quite understanding what was going on. "Wh...what's going on? Don't we need to deal with Oars?"

"We are, Nana-chan. We're launching our counterattack," Sanji said without looking back at her.

"En!" Chopper added, "We need to get to higher ground and straighten Oars' spine."

"And how do we do that?" Nana demanded.

Sanji raised the hand he was holding and flashed Nana's own metal glove in front of her eyes. "With your help, of course, Nana-chan."

"But I-"

Sanji came to a full stop, taking both Chopper and Nana by surprise. He looked solemnly at her. "Do you trust me, Nana-chan? A hundred percent?"

His voice was not the gentle and kind tone he usually had. It was an important question that he needed answered truthfully and honestly. There was no flirting. It was all business. Even his hold on her hand was strong and sturdy.

Nana nodded her head and squeezed his hand. "Yes, I do."

"Good, because this is not the time to dawdle. Our nakama are all doing their part and we need to too," Sanji said, sprinting forward again. He led her and Chopper to the top of the practically destroyed building, overlooking Oars.

They were so high up that the fog was thinner from their height and Nana's eyes widened at the sight of the mast that stuck out from the center of the island. "This...this is a ship?!"

"Yes, Nana-chan," Sanji explained, "This is the largest pirate ship in the world."

"I can't believe I didn't see that until now. What kind of shipwright am I?," Nana wondered out loud.

"You're not...you're a mechanic," Chopper said, trying to cheer her up.

"The point isn't the mast, Nana-chan. The point is that…" Sanji said and he pointed straight ahead to where the large metal rudder sat with a thick, metal chain dangling from it.

"We're using that?" Nana asked.

Chopper nodded. "En. To straighten his spine."

Nana's eyes widened and then she smirked at the doctor. "Got it," she said as she raised her gloved hand towards the rudder, turning the dial around her wrist slowly.

"Rain Tempo!" Nami cried from below.

Clouds began to form around Oars and then suddenly they began to rain down at his feet. A blast of cold air shot through the side of the building, freezing the large puddle and sticking Oars' feet in place.

"Nana-Brat Tribute Special!" Franky's voice called out, "Super Cold Cannon!"

Sanji jumped down and hooked his ankle to a chain link. "My turn," he shouted, flinging the chain link over and around Oars, "Go!"

"Zoro!" Chopper shouted, "Push in Oars' stomach!"

"Three Sword Style!" the swordsman called out in response. He cut through the giant, forcing his stomach in. "Secret Technique! Three Thousand Worlds!"

Nana's hand began to tremble and she looked over at Chopper. "Ready!"

"Go!" Chopper shouted.

"Nana Special!" she yelled as she gave the dial a small twist, "Repel!"

The metal rudder started to turn away from Nana, causing it to pull back on the chain, tightening around the giant, pulling his neck back, and shifting his weight towards the center of his body.

"Perfect, Nana," Chopper cheered, "His spine is definitely straight now."

Luffy came flying down from the top of the mast with his rubber arms enlarged. "Eat my extra-large bazooka!" he screamed, "Gum Gum...Giant Bazooka!"

His huge fists came pummeling down on the giant by the shoulders, forcing them down and breaking the giant's spine with a sickening crunch heard around the island. Oars fell to the ground, kicking up mass amounts of dust and dirt.

Nana grabbed Chopper and jumped off the edge, sliding along the edge of the chain. They landed onto the ground to take a closer look at the fallen giant. A flash of light caught Nana's eyes and she looked up to see the morning sun just peaking out from over the trees.

"The sun…" she whispered as Pygmy came running towards her.

"Woof woof!"

She got to her knees and hugged her pet. "I'm okay," she murmured and buried her face in his fur.

"Now is not the time to relax!" Usopp shrieked. Nana's head poked up and she looked over at him. "We need to get the shadows back! The sun is up."

"Yes, we need to go get Moria and wake him so he can return our shadows back to us," the pink haired woman shouted.

Suddenly, Moria emerged from the inside of Oars' stomach and he stomped his foot as he got to his feet. "I don't remember requesting a wake up call," he said with a smirk.

"W-W-W-Well, if you don't the Straw Hat to beat your butt again, you better return our shadows back to us!" the pink haired woman warned him without much confidence.

"Ki-shishishishi," Moria laughed, "I'm able to solve the mystery behind Straw Hat's excessive power increase now that I know you dogs in the forest were involved."

Luffy got to his feet and Nana was alarmed to see that her captain had shrunk to the size of a small child. "Give back our shadows before the sun comes up!" he demanded.

"Ki-shishishi! At you current strength, you're nowhere near strong enough to face the New World!" Moria taunted, "You seem to have a pretty decent crew but you'd lose all of them. Do you know why?!"

A crazed look came over his face. His pupils contracted so that Nana could only see the whites in his eyes. His over stretched smile showed every tooth in his mouth and it made her stomach turn. "Do you know why I lost all of my crew? Why I lost all my infamous and powerful subordinates? Because they were alive!"

Thin shadows began to shoot out from all sides of Moria like a million spiders casting their web. Moria stretched out his arms. "With undead zombies, I have nothing to lose! Zombies are immortal! they are unlimited soldiers! With my army of the dead, I will be able to rejoin the fight to become the King of Pirates!"

Nana jerked Chopper towards her just as one shadow thread flew past them and into the forest behind. It wriggled like a snake and then just as quick as it appeared, it came to a stop. "What?" Nana gasped.

The shadows started to reverse and pump back into Moria. "He's...collecting the shadows!" Nami cried.

"Straw Hat, I'd say you absorbed around 100 shadows...In that case, I'm absorbing…" Moria began to scream. Nana turned towards the warlord and her eyes widened. His whole body expanded as more and more shadows were injected into his body. "...1,000 shadows!"

He expanded to the size of Oars and he raised his fist in the air. He punched the ground, splitting the floor and cracking the island. The men around them began to flee but the Straw

Hats stood their ground.

Oars grunted and growled. Even his voice sounded different than his normal shrieking tone. His eyes had rolled to the back of his head. "He doesn't have full control over his shadows," Nana said, "He's not lucid."

"It looks like anger and foolish pride made him overestimate himself," Robin commented.

"Guys…We're out of time," a fully reformed Luffy stated, "I'm gonna push myself a bit. Please take care of things after that."

"Yosh, you can count on us," Franky said.

Luffy squatted low and began to pump the blood along his legs. "Second gear!" he shouted before launching himself at Moria, "Gum Gum...Jet Rocket!"

His fists flew into the stomach of Moria, forcing him to spew out a dozen shadows. "Jet Bazooka! Jet Bazooka!"

WIth each blow, more and more shadows came out into the sky and returning to their owners. "He's doing it!" Nana cheered excitedly.

"Even Moria can't control 1000 of his shadows," Usopp gasped.

"Brick Bat!" Suddenly, Moria's shadow bats grouped around Luffy, "Black Box!"

They formed into a box that sealed itself around the rubber man. Moria smashed the box with his fists and threw it down onto the ground. He crushed the box with his foot and with each stomp, he gave an extra squish with the balls of his feet.

"LUFFY!" Nana screamed.

The top of the box came flying out and the rubber man came crawling out. He was panting heavily and steam was billowing off of him. "Nobody...can...crush me…"

"Nobody can crush you? Your ability to say that without any justification proves just how green you are," Moria jeered.

"It's because I'm rubber," Luffy shot back, "And in just a second, I'm going to make you spit back all the shadows."

The sun flashed over the top of the trees and shined on Nana's shoulder. She felt a searing pain and she instinctively covered it with her hand, which started to obliterate in the sunlight.

"Nana-chan!' Sanji shouted as he ran in front of her to shield her from the sun. He pulled her to him and pulled the sides of his jacket over her shoulders.

"Idiot," Nana scoffed, "You can't stop the sun from coming out. It's inevitable."

"But I can buy you some time," Sanji said. He turned towards Moria, "Oy! Nana-chan's shadow! Do you know what you're putting your master through? Hurry up and get back here. Nana-chan needs you."

Nana choked back a laugh. "How can you make a joke during a time like this?"

"Because I only ever want to see you smile," Sanji replied solemnly.

"Good line, Prince Charming," Nana snorted. She looked up at him. His head casted a shadow over her face and she could see that the morning sun was getting higher and higher, "You say that to all the women you try to save?"

"Just the one I'm falling in love with."

Nana's breath caught in her chest for a moment and then she realized who she was talking to. She felt a sense of annoyance in the pit of her stomach. "Idiot!" Nana roared and she shoved him to away from her. She darted forward towards Luffy and into the shadows to buy herself some time from the sun, "Must you flirt with any woman at any given opportunity?! "

"I wasn't…" Sanji started to say and then his words trailed off.

Nana clenched her fist and targeted the pounding in her heart at Luffy and the Warlord. "Luffy!" she roared. Her captain, who was in the middle of expanding his body again, turned to her in surprise. "Batter's up!" she shouted as she ran forward.

Luffy grinned at her and blew hard into his thumb. His whole arm ballooned up with air and it moved to the center of his body, creating a giant ball.

"No! Luffy! That's too risky!" Chopper protested, "You can't do it too many times in a day."

Luffy leapt into the air. "Gum Gum…"

"Nana Special," Nana called as she swung her hammer forward.

"Giant Jet Ball!" They shouted together as her hammer connected with Luffy's body, sending him flying into the middle of Moria's stomach with ten times more force than Luffy's average jump. Moria rocketed backwards and slammed into the building behind him. The force broke the mast mansion and it came crashing down on the Warlord and breaking the foundation of the ship.

"Straw Hat...curse you…" he gasped as the shadows shot out of his mouth and into the sky like a thick black pillar.

The ship started to break apart and the sun spilled over the crowd. Luffy and Nana head and shoulders were both were engulfed in the light. Nana couldn't move or see. She couldn't even speak. She felt like her body was on fire and numb at the same time.

"Luffy! Nana!" Usopp screamed.

"Damn it! We just got the shadows! Did we super not make it in time?!" Franky yelled.

"God damn it," Sanji said as he scrambled towards her. There was no shade around as everything was either broken or completely destroyed. There was no more hiding.

Sanji grabbed what was left of Nana and held her tightly to him, while Zoro rushed over to try to pull Luffy to somewhere safe but the sun was too high up and there was nowhere to hide. He could feel the pieces of her breaking off into little bits of dust. He felt enraged and it seemed for the first time in his life, he was furious at a woman...Or at least, the essence of a woman.

"Get the hell back here, Nana-chan's shadow!" he growled up to the sky with his cigarette burning on his lips, "I'm not fucking around. Not this time and not earlier either. I've always been a hundred percent honest and serious with my feelings. I don't take love lightly so when I say I'm in love, I _am_ in love so I need you to get the hell back here so I can prove it to Nana-chan! I'll spend everyday proving it to her if I have to but you need to be here for that to happen!"

Suddenly, he felt a breath against his neck and a weight against his shoulder. Long, amber hair spilled over his hands and then he heard a sound that made him drop his cigarette.

"Oy, Prince Charming...Every day is a fucking long time. Are you sure you want to make that promise before we even get to Fisman Island and see the mermaids?"

He looked down into his arms to see the angel looking at him with a wry look on her face but with a slight blush to her cheeks. He lifted her up and saw her shadow moved with the light beneath his feet.

"Nana-chwannnnnn!" he exclaimed with relief as he twirled her around, clutching her tightly to his chest, "I love you! I love you! I love you!"

"Idiot. You're being ridiculous," Nana snorted as she pushed him off of her but then gave him a small fist bump on his chest, "I'm fine."

"Ow! I'm not crying because of you, Nana-brat. Don't say I am!" Franky wailed as he hurried over to scoop her up in his big, mechanical arms.

"God! Don't cry on me, you moronbot!" Nana shouted as she fought against his grip.

"Okay! Enough already, you two," Zoro barked at the pair as he laid the shrunken and unconscious Luffy onto a slab of stone rest, "Nana and Luffy are fine. We're all happy. No need to get so excessive."

"Don't rain on my parade just because you're lonely and miserable!" Sanji exclaimed as he directed a kick at the swordsman's head, "You're just jealous that you don't have a lady in your life, you shitty morimo. You get lost so much you'll never be able to find love."

Zoro quickly sidestepped the cook's blow and he narrowed his eyes, "What the hell is that supposed to mean, you pervert cook?"

_Bok! Bok!_

Both men got a punishing blow from Nami's Clima-Tact.

"You're both idiots! Focus!" She looked worriedly at Nana. "That was really terrifying. Really thought we lost you and Luffy back then."

"It felt that way to me too...There was a moment where I really thought I was in heaven," Nana murmured, "Bright lights and everything."

"Your body probably got restored as soon as your shadow returned," Robin said and Nana felt Franky tighten his grip on her.

"It's probably along the same lines of how Moria could alter a body shape by manipulating their shadow. Our bodies and shadows have to match," Sanji said calmly, ignoring the huge lump on his head from Nami, "That's how you and Luffy returned to normal."

"How is Luffy?" Nana asked, pushing herself out of Franky's hold. She ran to her sleeping captain and sat down next to him. Pygmy was already at his side with the dog's head resting right on Luffy's stomach, "Did I hit him too hard with my hammer?"

"This isn't you, Nana. It's Luffy's new fighting style...but...don't you guys think it's too hard on his body?" Usopp asked, "If the enemies waiting ahead of us get stronger, he's only going to keep pushing himself...We're going to have to get stronger too to be able to pull our own weight."

The Straw Hats fell into silence as they all contemplated the heaviness of Usopp's words. Nana reached up and ran a thumb along the edge of her aviator helmet. Only Sanji knew that on the other side of it was a sewn inscription reading " _New World, New Beginnings"._ The cook took a long hard look at the angel. He tucked his hands back in his pocket and took a deep drag on his cigarette.

When he decided to become a pirate he knew he had to put his life and dream on the line. Since the beginning, the crew had always tackled and won any obstacle that came their way but this time, even though they won, they were all pushed to their limits. What makes matters worse was that the stakes had never been higher. If they had lost this battle (and Sanji was very aware of how close they were to losing), he would've lost his nakama, his life, and his love.

Yes, Usopp was right. They had to get stronger. He had to get stronger. There are too many things he needed to do protect and he couldn't afford to lose any of them. His life and dream may be at stake but he was prepared to sacrifice it for his nakama.


	39. Paw vs. Glove

"Oy! Guys!" The group of men, led by the pink haired woman, ran towards them and surrounded the Straw Hats. They looked like pirates to Nana but she couldn't be bothered to figure it out at the moment.

Her eyes grazed over each member of her crew. Luffy was down. Everyone else were either pushed to their limit or already past it. Judging by how much Franky's usually well-coiffed hair was drooping, Nana figured he was down to the last droplets of cola. Even Sanji and Zoro were breathing heavily and their movements were shaken and slowed.

"We came to thank you guys!," the approaching group exclaimed. They all got down on their knees and bowed to them. "No one in Thriller Bark's Victim's Association will ever forget the debt we owe to you!"

"You are welcome to our food reserves," an old man offered.

"Or better yet," the pink haired woman chimed in, "You're welcome to marry me!"

"Pass!" Franky, Usopp, Chopper, Sanji, Zoro, and Brook all chorused together.

"Wow...harsh," Nana muttered under her breath.

"Oh no!" the men behind the pink haired woman gasped, "She's been rejected 4,449 times now."

Nana turned to Sanji. "How many girls have rejected you?" she asked.

Sanji pouted and he knelt beside her. "Nana-chan," he whined, "What kind of man do you think I am?"

"A big flirt," Nana replied without hesitation.

"A big pervert," Zoro added.

"A big idiot," Usopp chimed in.

"No one asked you guys!" Sanji snapped at the sniper and swordsman.

Out of the blue, Nami gasped and the Straw Hats looked at her. She clamped a hand over her mouth and her face went pale. "Oh yeah...I forgot about something important…"

"What's the matter?" Robin asked.

"I see…" a low electronic voice said from above, "It sounds as though my fear was justified."

The Straw Hats' all looked up and saw a large man sitting at the top of the collapsed building behind them. He was about the size of Moria with a hat covering his long, curly black hair. The hat had two rounded bear-like ears on them and he was talking to a transponder snail.

"I forgot...to mention during the fight that there was another Warlord on this island," Nami cried.

"There were two Warlords here?!" Usopp shrieked.

"How the fuck do you forget something like that?!" Nana demanded. Nami was about to say something back when Nana turned her attention up towards the Warlord. The voice on the other line was still talking.

"We have found a replacement for Crocodile...It would look bad if another one of the Seven Warlords needed to be replaced," the voice said, "Is Moria still breathing?"

"I don't know," the man responded. His voice was soft and calm. It was not what Nana had expected from a man of his stature.

"If he is still alive, I would like to wait for his recovery," the man on the other end of the call stated, "And let him retain his position as one of the Seven Warlords for a while."

"I-I-I-I recognize him," the woman with pink hair stammered, "The Warlord nearly as large as Moria...that pirate is called the 'Tyrant'...Bartholomew Kuma!"

"The World Government is giving you a special mission," the call continued, "Annihilate everyone on the island, including the Straw Hat Crew...and get the weapon."

"And the girl as well?"

"I know Vegapunk would rather she kept alive but as long as we get the weapon, he'll be able to figure it out."

"I understand."

_Catcha._

Nana immediately leapt up to her feet and grabbed her hammer.

"Nana, what-?" Nami asked and Nana shot her a look. She tapped her ear.

"Didn't you hear the call?" Nana hissed, "He's under orders to wipe us out."

"Are you kidding me?!" Usopp shrieked, "We can't fight two Warlords in one day!"

Zoro stepped forward and drew his swords. "You guys stay back. I'll take care of this."

"Be careful," Nami warned, "The people he touches vanishes and he can also warp from one place to another."

"We've got a freak on our hands," Franky commented with his hair falling limply over his face.

Before anyone could say anything else, there was a faint popping sound and Kuma appeared directly behind them, among the pink haired women and her crew. The Straw Hats whirled around and stared at him in horror.

"You can definitely...call that warping," Franky said nervously.

"Guys! Get him!" the Thriller Bark inhabitants cried as they charged forward.

The sound of mechanics powering up emitted from Kuma's hand and Nana's head tilted to get a better listen. Kuma swiped his hand upwards and sent the men repelling backwards in a single file. With another pop, the warlord was gone and reappeared right behind Nana.

"Mizu Nana…" he stated, "I'll start with you."

"Oy! Didn't you hear me?" Zoro growled, "I'm your opponent."

Nana glanced over at Zoro and she smirked. "Your machismo isn't going to do you any good today, Zoro. I can handle this."

"Nana-" Zoro and Sanji started to say and Nana rammed the handle of her hammer into Zoro's stomach. He immediately doubled over and dropped to his knees, gasping for breath.

"Nana!" Now it was Usopp and Chopper's turn to protest.

"You couldn't even stop a simple jab, let alone take a blow right now," Nana said as she looked up at Kuma, "Besides, he just personally asked for me. How could I turn that down?"

"How...can Nana still be standing?" Usopp murmured.

Franky scoffed and ran his hands through his limp hair. "The brat wasn't the head mechanic of Galley-La for nothing. Long Nose. Years and years of non-stop metalwork and using that heavy hammer for hours and hours has built up her stamina. She might not have the strength of swordsman or the speed of Curly Cook but when it comes to endurance, the brat probably has them beat."

"Nana-chan!" Sanji started to say and she raised a hand to stop him.

"You're in no state to fight yet either," she shouted.

"You and your crewmates have earned quite the reputation," Kuma stated, "It's said that Straw Hat Luffy has several skilled subordinates on his ship...including a new one with an interesting weapon…"

Nana's eyes narrowed and she instinctively flexed her fingers in her metal gloved hand. "So Icy was right...The Government does want my glove."

"This is crazy, Nana-chan!" Sanji shouted, "There's no way you can take him on all by yourself"

"How weak do you think I am?" Nana spat and whipped her hammer at the Warlord.

With a pop he disappeared from sight and reappeared right above her with his palm thrusting down at her. She hurriedly rolled to the side just as his palm came crashing down. The aftershock forced her to roll farther than she intended. He looked over at her and thrust his palm out in her direction. A force of strong air burst through. Nana tried to dodge it but it got her right at her shoulder and she was flung at an angle into a wall.

"Nana!" the Straw Hats screamed as she fell onto the floor.

"Sh...Shut up," she wheezed as she held her hand up. Her hammer came flying back into her gloves and she got up to her feet, "I'm just getting the hang of his hands."

"His hands?" Nami asked. The Straw Hats' eyes fell on his bare hands, which had rounded paws in his palms.

Nana threw her hammer towards Kuma's face. He raised his hand and her hammer bounced off of his paws, changing its trajectory. She raised her glove and her hammer returned within seconds. "It seems we both have a similar power…"

"I have the power to repel various things. I ate the Paw Paw fruit and am a paw man," Kuma said.

Franky rubbed his chin. "Such a cute name. It's hard to say if you're a paw man or a purr man...Maybe you're not such a big deal after all."

Without a word, Kuma shot forward a blast off of his paw through Franky. The cyborg was sent flying backwards with a paw imprint on his chest.

"FRANKY!" Nana screamed.

"Cyborg Franky...is that the extent of your strength?" Kuma asked.

Franky gasped for breath as Chopper and Pygmy rushed to his side. Robin stared at the Warlord. "Even a normal cannon can't affect Franky…"

"It's called 'Pad Cannon'. When air is repelled at the speed of light, it creates a shock wave that can shoot through people," Kuma explained.

"Air cannon?" Nana said with a thoughtful frown, "I might use that for later."

"There is no 'later'," Kuma stated. He warped directly in front of Nana with his palm casting a shadow over her, "Your time is up."

Nana lifted her hand and directed it straight at his belly. "I should say the same for you," she said as she twisted the dial around her wrist, "You think I can't hear the alloy in your body?!"

Kuma thrusted his hand forward but just as he was about to connect to Nana, he was pushed back a few feet and his paw came crashing down right in front of Nana's face. "She repelled him?!" Usopp shrieked.

"Interesting weapon," Kuma commented so quietly that only Nana could hear him, "You've come a long way from South Blue, haven't you, Sylvia?"

Nana's eyes widened. "What did you just say?!"

Suddenly, a pad cannon was shot from Kuma's other hand as he swiped it towards Nana, chucking her across the floor and skidding into a wall. Blood came pouring out of her mouth and from the top of her head as she rolled to her side. Her whole body hurt and her organs felt like they were on fire. _Fuck. I let my guard down._

"You bastard! What the hell did you do?!" Sanji shouted as he ran towards Kuma while Zoro drew his swords, "Concasser!"

"Thrust Pad Cannon!" Kuma called as he thrust multiple air attacks at the pair.

"Streaming Wolf Swords!" Zoro growled. He and Sanji dodged the attacks as they moved closer and closer to Kuma.

Zoro's katanas swept across Kuma's chest but were blocked by his paws just as Sanji's foot came crashing down on Kuma's chin.

"Yes! Sanji!" Chopper cheered.

"I bet he cracked your skull, you bastard!" Usopp shouted defiantly at Kuma.

"Idiot!," Nana gasped as she scrambled towards the cook, "He has a metal body!"

"What?!" the Straw Hats cried as Sanji grabbed his leg in pain and fell back hard onto the ground. Nana came to Sanji's side and she stared up wide-eyed at Kuma. She could hear the ragged breathing of not just Sanji but Zoro as well.

"Damn it…" Nana growled, "What the fuck are we going to do?"

Kuma let out a heavy sigh. "As I feared, I would not derive much pleasure from killing you in a weakened state." He raised his arms over his head and a big, paw shaped bubble appeared between his hands. It was the size of a large boulder and it began to pulse and shrink at the same time.

"What is he doing?" Zoro asked.

"It looks like he's condensing the air pressure by using his paw powers," Robin theorized, "When all of that air de-pressurizes, it'll generate a power like a giant sonic blast."

"Y-Y-You mean like a bomb?!" Usopp screeched, "How can you say that so calmly, Robin?!"

The bubble shrank more and more until it was the size of a beach ball, which Kuma cupped in his two hands. "I will spare your lives…" he said calmly, "In exchange, all you need to do is hand over your glove-"

"Done!" Nana said immediately.

"...And Straw Hat Luffy's head," Kuma finished, "It's all or nothing, I'm afraid."

Nana froze and she stared at the Warlord. "You want us to sell out…our nakama?" Nana growled as she got up to her feet. Slowly, Sanji and Zoro stood up as well. The Straw Hats looked solemnly back at Kuma, while their captain slept unknowingly behind them.

"Forget it!" everyone screamed at the Warlord.

"What a pity," he said unfazed by their outburst. He stretched out his arms and released the bubble. It floated through the air towards the center of the group and began to pulse, "Ursus Shock."

The air pressure exploded through Thriller Bark, splitting the buildings and trees in its way and creating tsunami like waves once it reached the sea. From the outside, it looked like a blinding white light had emerged from the bottom of the ocean, but from where Nana stood, it looked like she was witnessing an apocalypse.

The shockwave ripped through her body and sent her nakama's flying in every direction. She didn't have the strength to even scream and even if she did, the sound would be swept away by the explosion. She was one of the last ones to fall and when her back finally hit the floor, the pain was so severe that she saw spots before she lost consciousness.

Nana's hand woke up before the rest of her body did. It twitched and lightly scratched the stone beneath her fingertips. Then her wrist jerked back, followed by the shifting of an arm. Soon, her eyes opened slowly. _I'm not dead…I survived._

Then mind got into gear and her eyes widened. _Kuma! Everyone!_

She pushed herself off the ground but then her arms gave out and she came crashing back down. Her whole body was crying out in pain but she gritted her teeth and forced herself off the ground. _I need to see if they survived!_

She steeled her nerves and forced herself to ignore the protests of her body as she got to her feet. She could see the outline of the Warlord past a broken stone wall and she made her way to him. He had a cut on his shoulder and it exposed a metal gauge beneath his jacket. _Tch. I knew I heard metal. Another cyborg...just like Franky._

When she walked past a broken stone wall, she froze. Zoro was kneeling in front of Kuma, completely drenched in his own blood and sweat. _What the hell is he doing?_

"Are you absolutely insistent of taking Luffy's head?" the morimo panted.

"That is the most I can compromise," Kuma answered.

The swordsman inhaled sharply. "Very well," he said with a sudden determination and control. He leaned forward on his hands and bowed his head, "However, instead of taking his, I would appreciate it if you took my life instead."

Nana's eyes widened. _What the hell are you saying, Zoro?!_

Zoro's steely gaze was unwavering as he addressed the Warlord. "My bounty isn't worth much yet, but I was going to become the greatest swordsman in the world. This should be a fair trade."

"Are you truly willing to die for that man when you harbor such great ambition?" Kuma asked.

"Right now, it's the only way to save my crewmates!" Zoro stated, "My ambition means nothing if I can't protect my own captain."

His eyes furrowed and his fingers clenches against the stone ground. "Luffy will become the King of Pirates!"

"Oy...you fuckers," Nana grunted as she limped from behind the stone wall and towards them, "Don't count me out just yet."

"Nana?!" Zoro coughed as she knelt next to him.

She stared defiantly at Kuma and she held up her metal glove. "You are under orders to take this glove, right?" She then pointed a finger to her head, "Well, it's nothing to what I got planned for it and it's all in here. You wanted a head and a glove? Well, both of mine are yours. Just leave the other people out of it."

"Why you…" Zoro growled at her.

"My dream can still be achieved with or without me being alive," Nana stated to Zoro without taking her eyes off of Kuma, "As long as you guys go to the New World and not kill anyone using my weapons...but your ambition very much requires you to stay alive, don't you think, swordsman?"

"Wait...wait, you two!" another voice sputtered, "If anyone is going to lose their life...it'll be me."

Nana's eyes widened as Sanji came up from behind Kuma. His hands were stuffed in his tattered suit pockets and a cigarette barely hanging on his lips. He was shaking all over and he couldn't even keep his back straight.

"S-S-Sanji…" Nana gasped.

Sanji inserted himself in front of Kuma. "Oy, Colossus! Ignore those two and take my head," he demanded, "The Marines still don't think much of me, but before long, I can promise you that I'll be the most dangerous member of the crew. I'm 'Black Leg' Sanji!"

"Why you...," the swordsman scowled from behind him.

"Now...kill me…" Sanji rasped, "Don't take their lives...Take mine…I've always been prepared to sacrifice myself for the others. This is where I'll die gloriously!"

Nana didn't know if she was too shocked or too tired to speak. Her throat constricted around her vocal chords and it felt as dry as sandpaper.

"Oy...you two…" Sanji ordered, "Give my regards to the others. And...Nana-chan, when you get to the All Blue...take a moment and think of me."

Nana shakily stood up and she walked over to Sanji. A drop of blood fell from the top of her head and down the side of her face. She stood at his side and then gingerly reached over to turn his head towards her. Her hand fell to his tie.

"Nana?" Sanji whispered.

She pulled him forward and kissed him firmly on the lips. She couldn't help but notice how his lips tasted bitter from the smoke but it wasn't bad. In fact, 'bad' would be the last word she would use to describe it. Sanji, on the other hand, was too much in shock to fully register what was going, which was exactly what Nana wanted to happen.

"I'm sorry…" she whispered against his lips before punching him hard in the stomach.

His eyes widened in shock as she let go of his tie. He doubled over and slowly sunk to the ground. "Nana…chan…?" he whispered before falling unconscious.

"I've made my decision," Kuma said quietly, making Nana turn her attention back to him, "So there's no need for you to act so rashly, 'Pirate Hunter' Zoro."

Nana jerked her head around to see Zoro standing behind her, just inches away from hitting her head with the hilt of his katana. "Z-Z-Zoro!" she gasped.

Kuma raised his paw and moved it towards Nana. "Out of respect to your father, I cannot take your head. I reject your offer, Mizu Nana."

He repelled her to the side and she struck the wall hard. Her world went black.

* * *

 

It wasn't Pygmy's licking that woke her up. It was when he poked his cold nose into her ear and started sniffing around that jerked her awake. "Gah!" she gasped as she pushed her dog away and put her hand over her ear.

She glared at him and then her eyes widened when the events from earlier started to seep back into her mind. She looked frantically around her surroundings. _Zoro!_

Her eyes fell on her captain, who was hopping from one foot to another on top of a rock. "Woo! I feel so light! Why is that?" he exclaimed happily.

"How is that even possible?!" Usopp breathed as he sat cross legged on the ground. He was gazing at Luffy like he was witnessing a miracle.

"Nana-chan!" Nana's eyes shot towards Sanji, who sat up from the rock and was staring at her in shock. "You're alive! But then what about-"

Nana narrowed her eyes. "That's what I'm trying to find out," she growled. She turned to her dog and climbed onto his back. "Pygmy! Find Zoro!"

Her dog's ears perked up and then sniffed the ground before sprinting into the forest.

"Nana-chan! I'm coming too!" Sanji yelled as he ran after them, "Nana-chan. If you're here does that mean the marimo-"

"He didn't knock me out, if that's what you're wondering," Nana answered and then lowered her voice, "It was Kuma…and he said he knew my father…"

"Iceberg-san?"

"No...my actual father...and he called me Sylvia."

Sanji almost tripped in his step. "Why would a Warlord know about you?"

"The hell if I know," Nana growled. Her eyes widened when she saw the silhouette of a man standing by himself in the middle of broken rocks. "Sanji!"

"Ah...I see him," Sanji said as they rushed over to the green haired swordsman. He had his back turned to them but he was standing stoically, "Phew! You scared me, marimo. What happened to the Warlord?"

Nana gasped when they got closer to Zoro. The ground was stained with unfathomable amounts of blood and Zoro was standing in the center of it all. His body was covered in tattered fabric and his own blood dripped from his head, shoulders, and heavily scarred chest.

What truly horrified Nana was his face. His eyes were vacant and bloodshot. His lips were crusted in dried blood while fixed into a grim expression. Blood and sweat were caked all over him to the point that there was barely any actual skin showing.

"Wh-what happened?!" Sanji gasped.

"No...Nothing...happened," Zoro replied hoarsely.

"How can you say that?! What the fuck did Kuma do to you?" Nana demanded.

Sanji put his arm on her shoulder to stop her as he fully registered the bloodied sight of his nakama. "Let's get him to Chopper, Nana-chan," he said sternly before putting Zoro's arm around his shoulder.

Nana gulped and nodded as they all ran back to the courtyard. _Yes. Save Zoro first. Answers later._

* * *

 

In a remote part of Thriller Bark, far away from anyone to even suspect that he was still there, Kuma looked out into the vast sea.

"He has good companions," he said softly to himself, "I should have expected no less from your son, Dragon."

Then he paused, deep in thought, before speaking again. "And despite your best efforts, it seems your daughter is chasing after your shadow, Gridley-san."


	40. Recovery

"Sanji! I'm hungry!"

"Nibble on some cheese!" the cook angrily yelled at the whining rubber man.

Luffy stomped down the steps of the Thousand Sunny carrying two large wedges of cheese. He took a bite out of one of them and pouted as he chewed. "Cheese doesn't cut it. Cheese doesn't energize me!"

Sanji sighed as he carried a towering stack of heavy bowls out of the kitchen. "Then start hauling the ingredients I need to the courtyard. We'll be eating there since I'm sure everyone else doesn't want to budge."

The female pirate captain, Lola, looked up at the cook from the lawn deck. "Apologies. Everyone is just so happy to see the sun for the first time in years. They are crying tears of joy while sunbathing. I just don't have the heart to ask them to move."

Usopp glanced over at his captain, who was busy cramming more cheese into his overly stuffed mouth. "Where did all of that energy come from?"

"Tch," Nana scoffed as she balanced a giant crate of food on her shoulder with one arm and disembarked the Thousand Sunny. Pygmy dragged a small wagon of food behind him, "If you have that much energy, then help us out with carrying some of this, Luffy!"

Franky was waiting for her at the dock lifting a huge sack of food over his head. "Is that everything?"

Nana shrugged. "I hope so. Although, I wonder who gave us all this food and treasure?"

Franky grinned. "Maybe Santa paid us a visit and also gave Luffy that extra boost of energy."

Nana laughed as they walked back to the courtyard together. "You know, I would normally say that would be ridiculous but after seeing all that has happened, I wouldn't be surprised if there really is a Santa Claus."

"There is a cupid though," Franky teased, "And it seems to have shot the Curly Cook."

Nana ignored what he was insinuating. "You and I both know he's the type of guy who has been shot by cupid many of times, Franky."

"So you won't give him a chance?" Franky asked, "The guy has professed his love for you more times in two days than I have to anyone or anything my entire life."

Nana stopped in her tracks and waited for Franky to pause to face her. "And how many times has he said it to other women?" she asked with a skeptical look. Then she rolled her eyes and shook her head. "C'mon, Franky. He only thinks he loves me now because I'm the newest woman in his life. He's probably said this to Nami and Robin when they came on board. Hell, he still says it to them now!"

She moved forward and passed a silent cyborg. "I'm just the flavor of the month, Franky. He'll go after a new mellorine sooner or later."

They walked back without saying anything else on the matter. When they reached the courtyard, they headed straight for the mansion where Zoro and the rest of the Straw Hats had set up camp.

"Oy! Chopper," Nana called as Pygmy raced forward to say hello to his reindeer friend, "We got food and the supplies you asked for."

Chopper, who was in the middle of changing Zoro's bandages, looked up from his patient. "Oh! Thank you. You can set it on the side and I can come get it myself."

"How is he doing?" Franky asked as he set his cargo down at the entrance to the mansion before walking towards the group.

"I've never seen Zoro so badly hurt," Chopper said worriedly, "He nearly lost his life. I think something must have happened while we were unconscious."

Nana stilled for a moment before putting her crate down next to Franky's bundle. She stood up and spotted Sanji coming over to them, carrying his pots and pans. Suddenly, like a blur, Luffy ran past her towards his nakama's bed side. "Oy! Is Zoro up?!"

"He needs his rest," Chopper ordered as he held up his hooves up to stop the captain from disturbing the sleeping swordsman, "And I'd very much like to know how you suddenly had so much energy."

"Shishishishishi," Luffy chuckled, "I have no idea."

"To be honest, I saw what went down!" one of the Lola's crewmembers exclaimed out in the courtyard.

Nana's eyes snapped towards him as his friend jumped in next to him. "I saw what happened from beginning to end."

Sanji and Nana exchanged a look. Before Lola's pirates could say another word, they found themselves dragged away by the collar by the cook and mechanic. "Come," Sanji grunted softly.

* * *

Nana scowled as she leaned against a stone slab and listened to the two pirate. "Just get to the point already," she snapped impatiently as Sanji sat on a rock nearby, smoking his cigarette.

"B-But you were so cool!" one of the pirates protested, "With the whole kiss and punch move."

"And you," the other pirate added as he looked over at Sanji, "You were all like 'I've always prepared to sacrifice myself for the others'. So cool!"

"Drop it!" Sanji ordered.

"We were there. We know what we said," Nana said, "Now tell us what we don't know. What happened afterwards?"

"Oh yeah…," they murmured.

"The Warlord had another unique power," one of the pirates said, "He held a paw towards the Straw Hat and it repelled all the 'damage' that the Straw Hat had taken."

"Like a bubble of agony," his friend chimed in, "And then...he told the swordsman that if he wanted to take Straw Hat's place, he would have to take all of Straw Hat's pain and suffering unto himself."

"He gave him a small taste of it and the swordsman screamed bloody murder just by touching a small portion," the first pirate continued, "To be honest, I thought he would be a goner."

"That's what makes it so touching," the second pirate sniffled, "Just thinking about it makes me want to cry."

Nana took a deep breath. "So that explains why Luffy is doing well and how we found Zoro in that state."

"So rash," Sanji murmured as he inhaled his cigarette.

Nana straightened up and she walked over to Sanji. She sat down in front of him so they were eye to eye. "I'm not going to apologize for taking you out," Nana stated, "If I could do it over, I'd do the exact same thing."

"I know, Nana-chan," Sanji replied, "We were all just trying to protect each other."

"It doesn't mean I love you either!" Nana hurriedly pointed out, "So don't go-"

"Love is a hurricane, Nana-chan," Sanji said with smile.

She blinked back at him. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" she asked exasperatedly.

"Come on then! Let's tell everyone about the Straw Hats' heroic story!" the first pirate cheered, interrupting the pair.

"Yes! The story about their strong bonds of friendship," the second pirate added as they turned to run back to the mansion.

"Wait!" Sanji barked without taking his eyes off of Nana.

The pirates froze and looked back at the cook and the weaponsmith.

"The morimo didn't risk his life out of a desire to earn our gratitude," Sanji stated, "What would happen if the others learned that Luffy's pain hurt a friend? Do you know how bad that would make them feel? Especially Luffy?"

"Whaattt?!" the pirates whined.

"Man up and don't gossip," Nana scolded, "Telling the story will only do more damage than good."

"Don't be insensitive," Sanji said as he got up to his feet and then held out his hand to help Nana up. "All that matters is everyone is okay."

They walked silently past the pirates and back to the mansion. "Nana-chan," Sanji muttered when they were a few feet away.

"Yeah?"

"Those two idiots probably heard the part about Gridley too...It probably won't do you any harm but it's still best if they kept what happened to themselves."

Nana froze and looked at Sanji in surprise as he walked ahead. It didn't even occur to her think about that part. She couldn't believe how thorough and considerate Sanji was being. She stared at the chef as he joined the others and began to set up a makeshift kitchen. _He really does take care of everyone..._

* * *

In order to thank Brook for helping them with the battle against Oars, Franky and Nana decided to help patch up his ship. In actuality, Franky had decided they should help and yet Nana was the one who ended up doing all the work. She spent the rest of the afternoon repairing the damage on Brook's old ship. By the time she and Pygmy returned to the mansion, the feasting had begun.

"Wow, with all this fucking noise, maybe they'd be better off sleeping on the Sunny," Nana muttered to herself as she walked into the mansion with her hammer on her back and Pygmy trotting by her feet.

Then, without warning, her dog dashed off like a maniac and pounced on Brook, who was eating at one of the dinner tables that Franky had built.

"Ahhhhhh!" Brook screamed.

"Brook!" Nana gasped as she tried to pull Pygmy off of the skeleton. She looked apologetically at the skeleton, "I'm so sorry!"

"Yohohoho. He almost gave me a heart attack," Brook laughed as he got up to his feet.

"Because you don't have a heart, right? Give me a break with your jokes!" Franky shouted frustratingly as the rest of the room laughed at the punchline. He then turned to the mechanic. "Ow, Nana-brat! Did you finish-"

"The rudder and sails are repaired," she stated, "I also updated the cannons and reinforced the bow and stern...After this upgrade, this ship is going to last another 50 years."

"That is very kind of you, Nana-san," Brook said and then walked over to a black grand piano sitting in the corner of the mansion and he placed his fingers onto the keys, "Let me thank you with a song. Do you have any requests?"

"Where the hell did the piano come from?!" Nana asked exasperatedly but no one seemed to have an answer.

The skeleton began to play a lively melody on the piano. "Yo-hohoho. Yo-hohohoo!" the skeleton sang.

"Didn't you just ask me if I had any requests?!" Nana yelled at the skeleton. She rolled her eyes as Franky and Usopp climbed onto a table to dance.

"Woo," Sanji breathed as he walked over to the skeleton, "I thought you only played the violin."

"Yohoho," Brook laughed, "I can play most instruments."

"Not bad," Nana grinned.

"Um...I'd like to touch on an earlier conversation, if that's alright with you two," Brook said softly as he continued to play, "To be honest, I also saw what happened. I was greatly moved by what you three did. Isn't it wonderful to have comrades?"

"Tch," Nana scoffed as she looked over at the wounded swordsman, "It was all Zoro, not us. We ended up not doing anything."

"No," Brook contradicted, "You two bore the same resolve."

The song ended and Nana frowned at Brook. "If it's alright with you, please keep what you saw to yourself."

"Don't worry, Nana-chan," Brook said, "I will take it to my grave...Although, I'm already dead. Yohohohoho."

Franky noticed that the music had ended and he called over to Brook. "Oy! Why did the music stop?! Bring the music back up!"

"Yohoho," Brook laughed, "Of course. Right away."

His hands fell back on the keyboard and he started to play a very lively song. Luffy came running over and he sat himself at the top of the piano. "Oy! I know this song! Shanks and the guys used to sing it."

"It's an old song that all of the pirates would sing in good times and in bad. It's called 'Bink's Booze'," Brook explained.

"Nana-chwannn. May I have this dance?" Sanji cooed as he hooked his arm around Nana's waist and began to twirl her around the room.

Nana laughed and stepped out of his hold before she got too dizzy. "I don't dance. I drink," she said. Her eyes caught the cyborg, who was holding up a cup of rum. She grinned, showing all her teeth and winked at Sanji. "Sorry, Prince Charming, but you got the wrong girl."

She ran off, feeling his eyes on her and scootched next to Franky on the bench. She grabbed the cup from his hand and drank a big mouthful. Franky pushed his sunglasses up and raised an eyebrow at her. "Ow! Nana-brat, I was just toasting you. I didn't mean for you to-"

"I know, you moronbot," Nana growled as she took another sip, "But I got thirsty."

Franky leaned over so that his mouth was just barely touching her ear. "Are you sure? Because it looks like you're running away from a person who just professed his love for you."

Nana almost choked on her drink and she glared at the smug cyborg. "You and I both know what kinda guy he is," she hissed, "So why the hell are you taking it seriously?'

"Why aren't you? It could be the real thing."

Nana wanted to strangle the cyborg but knew his reinforced iron neck would make it more trouble than it's worth. "Who the fuck has time for love?"

"Love is not something you can control, Nana-brat. It's a hurricane."

"Seriously, what the hell does that even mean?" Nana demanded, slamming her cup down on the table and spilling some of the contents over her hand.

"OW! Love is a natural phenomenon. Some people can predict it but no one can control it," Franky replied, "Love hits us in many ways."

"Says the lifelong bachelor," Nana snorted.

Franky grinned. "It's not my fault that I'm too cool for any woman to handle."

Nana pushed him off the bench with one hand while taking another gulp of rum. "Idiot," she grunted. The song ended and Nana looked over at the skeleton, who was being encouraged by Luffy and Usopp to play another tune.

"Yohohoho," Brook laughed, "I know just what to play!" His hand went to his afro and he pulled it to the side. The top of his head came off and he reached into his own head.

"What?! That's how your head works?!" Usopp shrieked.

Brook chuckled and pulled out an odd looking conch shell. He placed it on the piano for everyone to see. "This is something I got many years ago called a 'Tone Dial'. It's an unusual shell that records sounds and allows you to play them back."

He rested his hands back on the piano. "When I see Laboon, I want him to listen to this."

"Have you recorded something on it?" Usopp asked.

"It contains my crewmates singing when they were still alive. It's our message to Laboon: We were happy and cheerful when we finished our journey...May I play it for you now?," Brook asked.

"Oooh!" Luffy cheered from the top of the piano, "I want to hear it!"

"Very well," Brook said and reached over to the dial to turn it on. _Click._

An orchestral version of Bink's Booze came on through the shell and it filled the room. Brook accompanied it on his piano and the people who knew the words sang along.

Nana tapped her feet to the tune and hummed along. The song was cheerful but it had a sad undertone to it that made Nana want to laugh and cry at the same time. It was fitting for the moment, since they were all celebrating the victory of a long battle but at the secret cost of friend's well-being.

"You know, Luffy-san…" Brook said softly when the song ended once more. He stared at the keyboard. He took a deep breath before throwing his head back and letting out a loud sob, "I-I...I'm glad to be alive! I'm truly glad to be alive! And it's all because of today."

Nana couldn't help but laugh. This living skeleton was indeed very lively.

"Ah," Brook exclaimed with a sudden thought, "May I join your crew?"

"Yeah, sure," Straw Hat replied.

"WHAT?! SO QUICK!" Usopp, Nana, and even Sanji yelled.

"He joined!" Chopper and Franky both gasped while Nico Robin laughed.

Despite their initial reaction, Chopper, Luffy, Franky, Sanji, and Usopp ran to the skeleton and started to throw him into the air. "Bonzai!" they shouted as they threw him, "Hurray for the musician!"

"Idiots," Nana laughed and shook her head.

"Yohohoho!" Brook interrupted with his distinct laugh as he slammed a wanted poster onto the floor. He knelt in front of it, "Let me introduce myself anew!"

"A wanted poster?" Franky asked as they looked at the skeleton.

"I am the dead and skeletonized Brook! I am known as the Humming Brook! My bounty is for 33 million bellis," Brook announced, "A long time ago, I was the leader of a certain kingdom's assault convoy. After that, I was the acting captain of the Rumbar Pirates. I am a musician and a swordsman. As of today, my life is in the hands of Captain 'Straw Hat' Luffy! I will work myself to the bone to avoid tripping everyone up. Yohohohoho!"

Nana raised an eyebrow and she looked over at Franky. "I thought your entrance was much better," she said.

"Ow, Nana-brat, don't remind me of that painful memory," Franky said with a wince, "I don't think I've fully recovered from that yet. Nico Robin has quite a grip."

"Yosh!" Luffy shouted as he handed everyone a drink, "Let's drink to our new nakama!"

"YOSH!" the Straw Hats hollered.

* * *

"The graveyard looks so much different under the sun," Nana mused as she stepped back to admire the tombstone they helped Brook make for the Rumbar Pirates, "Hard to imagine this used to be crawling with zombies."

The sun was shining brilliantly down on Thriller Bark. Zoro had started to stir in his sleep and showed great promise of waking up soon o it seemed it wouldn't be long until they would be able to head towards Fishman's Island.

Before they set off, Brook had requested they allow him to bury his original crew members on Thriller Bark. He thought it would be appropriate since Thriller Bark came from the West Blue, the same place where the Rumbar Pirates came from.

Franky had made a mini replica of their original ship, which Brook described with excellent detail. It stood upon a stone cross that Usopp had designed with musical notes engraved in the middle. Nana created two large swords with golden hilts to flank the sides and Chopper decorated the grave with fresh flowers.

"Yohohoho," Brook laughed as he stood in front of the grave, "This is wonderful. Thank you, everyone."

"It's cool," Franky said with his hands on his hips, "Don't think anything of it."

"My design won," Usopp announced proudly.

"I picked the flowers," Chopper chimed in.

Brook took off his top hat and bowed to the reindeer. "Thank you very much, Chopper-san."

"Stupid," Chopper squealed, "That doesn't make me the last bit happy, silly!"

"This is a wonderful grave," Brook said again, "I couldn't possibly put all of those bones on that cute Lion-chan."

"From now on, call her the Thousand Sunny," Franky corrected.

"Now that they're here...perhaps they will find some rest if they sleep on familiar soil," Brook murmured softly. He clasped his hands in front of him and stared solemnly at the grave.

Nana's hands shot out and grabbed Usopp and Franky by the collar. "Alright. We're going to head on back. See you later, Brook," she said as she dragged them out of the graveyard with Chopper following behind.

"Bye Brook!" they called to him, "See you back on the ship!"

He tilted his hat and bowed to them politely before turning back to the tombstone.

Nana and the others had only walked halfway from the graveyard to the Thousand Sunny when they froze. From a distance they could see a man walking slowly towards them. He had three swords tied to his side while holding onto a fourth in his hand. He also had hair the color of seaweed.

"Z-Z-Z-ZORO?!" they cried as they rushed to him. Nana and Usopp enveloped him into a hug, knocking him backwards.

"Ah! Watch out for his injuries!" Chopper protested as Nana and Usopp laughed.

"Get off of me, you idiots," Zoro growled as he shoved them off of him and got up to his feet, "I'm going to go lay my Yubashiri to rest in the graveyard."

"Oh! I'll show you how to get there," Chopper offered.

"No, it's fine," Zoro said as he walked with them along the road, "I can find my way."

"Uh...Zoro," Nana said with a raised eyebrow, "We're going back to the Thousand Sunny. If you're walking with us...then you're going away for the graveyard."

Zoro stopped abruptly and his whole body tensed up. "I...I know that," he huffed as he turned on his heels and went the other way.

"Should we just...let him leave like that?" Nana whispered to Usopp.

"Just leave him. Maybe he'll get lost for so long that by the time he comes back, his wounds have healed," Usopp replied.

"I can hear you guys," Zoro growled from the distance. Nana and Usopp shrieked and raced forward, leaving Franky and Chopper in a cloud of dust.


	41. Inspiration

Nana walked swiftly but assuredly as she inspected the top deck of Brook's old ship one last time. With her hammer on her back and Pygmy at her side, Nana could've sworn she was back in Dock #1 giving a final look over to a client's ship before handing it over for delivery. She tapped the wooden floorboards with her boot and then she knocked on the railings with her knuckles. "Not great but it'll do," she mumbled to no one in particular.

She put her hands on her hips and did another quick sweep with her eyes. "Okay," she said to Pygmy with a firm nod to her head, "I think this it."

They disembarked from the ship and onto the dock below where Franky was waiting for them with the pink haired woman. Nana was not surprised at all that her name was Lola and that the boar zombie's shadow was originally hers. "Alright," Nana said to Lola, "Everything is in good shape. You guys can sail off in it whenever you guys are ready."

"You guys have been such a big help in so many ways," Lola gushed as she eyed Franky, "I owe you so much! I couldn't begin to thank you. I'd love to marry you."

Nana snorted, while Franky ran a comb through his electric blue hair. "You're a great catch," the old bachelor replied smoothly, "But, unfortunately, I'm just too cool. It wouldn't work out."

"Don't take it to heart, Lola," Nana said and gave the pink haired pirate a supportive pat on the arm, "He's not marriage material anyways. None of these guys are, really."

"What?" Lola gasped, "But I thought you and Sanji were an item. You guys should totally get married."

Nana's eyebrows shot up to the top of her head. "Are you kidding me?"

"Why not?" Lola asked.

"Our next stop is Fishman Island!" Luffy shouted from the other end of the dock, catching Lola and Nana's attention, "I bet it's full of fascinating people."

"I'll get to frolic with beautiful mermaids!" Sanji exclaimed as he wriggled with delight, lost in his own fantasies.

"That's why," Nana said to Lola with a laugh as she walked over to the cook.

"She says that…" Lola murmured, "And yet she still goes to him."

"Ow," Franky exclaimed with a grin, "Some people just can't resist the super powers of a pervert." He threw his arms together and posed with them outstretched, "Super!"

"Would it be okay if I asked the mermaids to show me their pants?" Brook asked Nana with a sincere bow.

"Brook…" Nana said with a wink, "Mermaids don't wear pants."

Blood spurted out of both Sanji's and Brook's nose and Nana hit them both in the head. "Control yourselves," she barked at them, "And how the hell does a skeleton get a nosebleed?!"

"Mermaids, huh…" one of Lola's crewmembers said, "Oh, that brings back memories. Fishman Island was incredible"

"Lola," Nami gasped, "You guys have been to the New World?"

Lola smiled. "I didn't go there. That's where I was born. My mama is a pirate," she said. Then her eyes lit up and she dug into her pocket. She pulled out a sheet of paper and tore it in half. She handed one half to Nami, "This is my mama's Vivre Card. You may have a piece."

"Whoahhhh! You're lucky," Lola's crewmember exclaimed, "Captain Lola's mama is an amazing pirate! Take good care of it. I'm sure it'll come in handy later."

"Vivre Card?" Nana and Nami asked.

"Oh! Sorry. I forgot that Vivre Cards are only available in the New World," Lola rushed to explain. She pointed to the paper she had in her hand, "This isn't your typical sheet of paper. Water and fire can't hurt it. If you take your nail clippings to a shop. They will make a special sheet of paper that mixes them in."

"Your nail clippings?" Nana said wrinkling her nose.

"It is also known as the 'Paper of Life'!" Lola said, "You tear off a piece and give it to a family or friend when they are leaving."

"And?" Nami asked.

Lola placed the paper on the floor. "Just watch. This is the Vivre Card that my mama gave to me."

To their surprise, the paper started to move all on its own in one direction. "What the…" Nana gasped.

"No matter where in the world you are," Lola said, "The pieces will pull toward each other. So I will always know what direction my mama is in. Of course it doesn't indicate how far away she is."

"Amazing," Chopper breathed, "Is the New World filled with things like that?"

"Isn't it handy?" Lola grinned. She pulled out a pen and started to write on the paper, "I'll sign my mama's Vivre Card, so if you ever run into trouble, use this to get to her."

She handed it to Nami. "When you see her, let her know that I'm doing well."

"Thank you, Lola," Nami said gratefully as she held the paper tightly to her chest.

Luffy, who had been listening intently in the back, furrowed his eyebrows and he frowned. "I think...I might have one of those."

"Really?" Nana and Lola asked.

Luffy took off his straw hat and pulled out a small white piece of paper taht had been sewn to the inside. He held it up for them to see. "This is it...Huh?!"

A corner of the paper was burning but the flames didn't seem to move any further into the paper. "It's burning?" Nana asked as she looked at Lola, "I thought you said fire and water can't hurt it."

"Let me see that really quick!" Lola cried as she took the paper from Luffy's hands. Her face darkened and a bead of sweat fell down her head, "This is definitely a Vivre Card...I haven't told you this yet, but it also reveals the owner's vitality…"

She looked up from the paper and to Luffy. "Isn't this person dear to you?"

"Yeah, he's my big brother," Luffy grinned.

"Big brother?!" Nana's eyes widened, "Luffy has a brother?"

"Ah, Nana-chan," Sanji said as he walked to her side. He put a hand on her shoulder and stared grimly at Lola, "I'll explain everything later. Now's not the time."

Nana looked at him in surprise and then she followed his gaze. Lola was staring worriedly at the burning Vivre Card in her hand. "I hate to say this…" Lola said softly, "But...his life is burning out."

Nana's eyes snapped to her captain. She studied his face for any signs of alarm, worry, or distress.

"Shishishishishi," Luffy chuckled, "It'll be fine. Ace is strong." He then turned to the Thousand Sunny and pumped up his fists. "Yosh! Let's set sail!"

"Luffy…" Nami said with concern but the rubber man bounded up the ramp towards the ship.

The rest of his crew shared a look with each other before they smiled defeatedly and ran after Luffy. He was their captain and he did just give them orders.

Nana grinned as the Thousand Sunny pulled out of the mouth gate of Thriller Bark. She stood in the middle of the ratline with one hand holding onto the rope ladder while the other shielded her eyes from the sun's glare. The sun shined down on the deck, warming the Straw Hats' skin and reminding them that the nightmare in the shadows was finally over.

"Oyyyyy," Luffy shouted from the railing as he waved goodbye to Lola and her crew, "Take care!"

The rest of the Straw Hats waved too and the two crews yelled their goodbyes to one another.

Franky bawled and wiped his tears with one arm while waving frantically with the other. Zoro leaned against the railing and casually pulled off one of the bandages around his chest, flinging it into the sea before Chopper could notice.

"Everyone, careful not to get wiped out!" Brook cried, "Yohohoho!"

"Don't jinx them, you jerk!" Usopp shrieked.

As they pulled further and further away from Thriller Bark, the crew settled back into the Thousand Sunny. Luffy sat along the railing while Zoro sat cross legged on the deck, snoring loudly. Usopp, Chopper, and Pygmy ran around the lawn. Even Brook got comfortable and pulled out his violin.

Nana sat on the ratlines with her ankles wrapped around the ropes for security while she enjoyed the sea breeze blowing into her face. She closed her eyes and just focused on the lull of Brook's violin mixed in with the sounds of the crashing waves.

"Luffy…"

Nami's worried tone made Nana open her eyes and look down at the deck.

"Are you really sure?" Nami asked Luffy.

Luffy put a hand to his straw hat and he grinned at Nami. "You mean about Ace's paper? It's okay. Don't worry about it."

Brook paused in his performance. "Luffy-san," he offered, "I don't mind if we take a detour."

"Luffy," Usopp cheered with Chopper on his shoulder, "Everyone is cool with taking a detour."

"Yes! Let's go super see your whale of a brother!" Franky chimed in.

"His brother is not Laboon!" Nana shouted at the cyborg.

"No, it's okay," Luffy said cheerfully, "If he's in trouble, I doubt he'd want me to worry every time this happens. Ace hates it when people see him look weak."

Franky raised an eyebrow and looked up at Nana. "Maybe he's your brother too."

Nana stuck her tongue out at Franky. "Better than having you as one."

Sanji came out of the kitchen with two trays filled with wooden mugs. Robin was standing just outside the door and she took a mug from him.

He walked down to the deck and he smiled up at Nana before tilting his head towards the mugs. She grinned and flipped upside down off the ratline. With a flick of her legs, she freed her ankles from the rope and somersaulted to the ground.

"Whoahhhhh, I wanna try!" Chopper yelled, "Nana! Teach me! Teach me!"

Nana grinned and took the mug off of Sanji's tray. "Just a little rope trick I learned from Paulie," she said with a wink to the reindeer.

Sanji smoothly took the tray over to Nami and then tossed a mug to Luffy. He dropped a mug in the rest of the Straw Hats' hands, giving an extra forceful throw to the swordsman. Soon everyone had a mug in their hands.

"Shishishishi," Luffy laughed, "Come to think of it, Zoro. You haven't done this yet since you were asleep the whole time."

"So, let's take it from the top!" Usopp cheered as he raised his mug, "Let's drink to our new crewmate, the musician, Brook!"

"Cheers!" the Straw Hats roared as they knocked their mugs together.

"Thank you for having- AHHHHHH!" Brook screamed as Pygmy tackled him to the ground and began to lick his skull.

"Pygmy!" Nana gasped as she raced over to save her new nakama.

* * *

"Nana-chwaaaann…I brought you some snacks," Sanji announced as he opened the door to the angel's room with a tea tray of sandwiches and a mug of steaming black tea.

"Thanks," Nana murmured without looking up from her drafting desk. She put down her quill, moved her head back so she could see her blueprint from a further angle, and then she slammed her fists down on the desk. "Oh fuck."

She balled up the blueprint and tossed it over her shoulder, where it landed among a growing pile of other failed blueprints.

"Nana-chan? Is everything okay," Sanji asked worriedly as he stepped over the "Absolutely Keep Out" sign that Franky had chained across the entrance.

"Yes…" Nana muttered as she buried her face in her hands, "No...Maybe…"

Sanji slid the tea tray on her desk and set a bowl of water under it, next to a sleeping Pygmy. "Maybe you should take a little break, Nana-chan. You've been working here for hours now."

"I know," Nana groaned into her hands and then she gestured to the pile behind her, "Hours and hours with nothing to show for it." She looked over at Sanji and at his still bandaged head. "I'm trying to make a weapon that can protect us all...but...I can't seem to come up with the perfect weapon."

She took the mug into her hands. "I've been making weapons my whole life and now it seems I've run out of new weapons to make," she said as she took a sip of her tea.

It was at just the right temperature where it was hot but didn't burn the tongue. _Of course you steeped it perfectly,_ she thought jealously of Sanji's handiwork.

She eyed the cook. "How do you do it?" she demanded.

Sanji blinked at her. "What do you mean?"

"Create perfect dishes all the time," she said accusingly, "And it's always new too. You never create the same dish twice. How do you not hit a creative block?"

"I don't know, Nana-chan," Sanji replied, "I guess...I think about cooking and I just...do it."

"Ugh, you make it sound so easy. 'All I have to do is think about creating the perfect weapon and then I'll be able to do it',' she said mockingly.

Sanji bent at his knees so that he could see eye to eye with the seated angel. "That's not what I said, Nana-chan," he said solemnly. He gently took the mug out of her hands and placed it back on the tea tray. He then took her right hand and placed the quill back into it, "I said I think about cooking and I just cook."

He lifted her hand and slid a fresh sheet of paper under it. "You're trying to create the perfect weapon when in actuality every weapon you create is perfect...so maybe you should not think about the 'perfect' part of it and just make a weapon."

He moved his head forward so that their foreheads touched. Nana felt a slight heat creep up her neck. "Don't overthink it, Nana-chan. I've seen you build things out of scraps and they've all worked beautifully. You're giving yourself too much pressure," he murmured, "I cook because I love it. My dream is to find the All Blue, a haven of resources for a chef. It isn't to create the perfect dish. And your dream isn't to create a perfect weapon either. It's to protect us, right? So do that...Protect us."

"Sanji…" Nana whispered as she stared at him.

 _This is my chance!_ Sanji thought as he leaned in closer for a kiss.

Nana's eyes widened and she sat up in her seat, accidentally butting Sanji's head out of the way. "I got it! I just got an idea for a weapon!"

Sanji rubbed the bump on his head as he pouted at the angel, who was too caught up in her work to notice his disappointment.

"Thanks, Sanji!" she said as she ran the quill over a ruler and began to scribble around the paper, "You really helped me! I owe you one."

"Nana-chwan?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

"Okay,' Nana replied not looking up from her desk.

As Sanji shut the door behind him, Nana's hands rushed to her face as it reddened considerably. _Too close. That was way too close!_

She then stared at the paper in front of her. _Although...he did give me an idea…_

* * *

"Ready? Aim...Super Fire!" Franky yelled from the top deck with Usopp sitting behind a shiny 36 pound cannon.

_Boom!_

Usopp fired off the cannon and to his surprise, a large metal net came shooting out of it with a long metal wire connecting it to the base of the cannon barrel.

"See? That's the 'Cannon Catcher Net' that the brat developed. It's slightly magnetized so that the incoming cannonballs will stay in the net, regardless of the weight. There's one in the men's quarters and this one is going to go into the women's quarters. It can also help catch fish too," Franky said with a grin.

"Amazing!" Usopp cheered, "How do I reel it in?"

"Just super crank that wheel right below your feet," Franky instructed.

Sanji climbed up from the latch of the lower deck and he glared at them, frustrated of the missed opportunity with the angel. "What are you two idiots doing?"

"Just showing Long Nose all the different cannons the brat had installed into the ship," Franky said, puffing with pride, "You know, it seemed it was just yesterday when I was explaining to her the super importance of using the right type of rondelle-"

"Ah, I know," Sanji interrupted with a wave of his hand, "You two go way back."

Franky lifted his sunglasses to get a closer look at the cook and then he realized where Sanji was coming from. "Ow! Curly Cook, did the brat kick you out of the room too? Is that why you're in a bad mood?"

"Kicked me out?" Sanji asked incredulously, "I just went in to give Nana-chan some afternoon snack that's all and then left. I wasn't forced out."

Usopp fell off his seat and he scrambled over to the edge of the top deck to look at Sanji. "You mean you went into the room?! And she let you?!" Usopp gasped.

"What's the big deal?"

"Ow. Curly Cook...Do you know why I chained an 'Absolutely No Entry' sign at the doorway?" Franky asked.

"So that people don't bother you or Nana-chan when you two worked?"

"To super keep you guys alive!" Franky snapped.

Sanji was not following him at all. He folded his arms across his chest and took a deep, relaxing drag of his cigarette. "What are you talking about?"

"Allow me to explain," Usopp said as he scrambled over to Sanji, "Nana doesn't like it when people come into her workspace, especially when she's working in there. Apparently, it's been that way ever since she was little. It's also why she has her own warehouse to herself back at Galley-La. No one is allowed to step foot in her space without permission."

"Even I'm not allowed in there sometimes and I actually work in there," Franky huffed, "She super threw her hammer at me the other day."

"She threw a wrench at me once," Usopp admitted, "And earlier today, she was close to shooting Chopper in the face with a water cannon if I didn't grab him back in time...And all he wanted to do was to ask if Pygmy wanted to come out and play."

"The brat is super touchy about her space...Did you ask for permission to go in? Or did she ask you for the snacks?" Franky asked.

"Neither," Sanji said, "I just went in."

"Whoahhhhhhhh," Franky and Usopp gasped as they stared at the cook in awe.

Usopp clapped his hands on Sanji's shoulders. "Sanji...you...are the chosen one," he breathed.

Sanji smirked and he put his hands on his hips. He puffed up his chest and he held his cigarette between his fingers. "That's right," he boasted, "I've been deemed worthy by the angel. Look at me and bask in my brilliance, you lowly peasants."

"Who's been deemed by what now?" Nana's head popped out from under the latch and she looked skeptically between the three men, "What's going on?"

"W-W-W-W-We're just playing a game! Called...er...King and Peasants!" Usopp lied. He got to his knees and he bowed to Sanji, "Oh, you mighty king. We are not worthy."

He looked over at Franky, who refused to participate. "Come on," Usopp hissed.

"Worst game ever," Nana scoffed as she climbed out from under the latch.

"I thought you were working, Nana-chan?" Sanji asked.

"Bathroom," Nana replied with a roll of her eyes.

"Luffy's in there so you might want to wait even after he gets out," Usopp warned and Nana shot him an annoyed look.

"Not me," Nana said as Pygmy rushed past her to run around the lawn deck.

"Oy, you damn dog! Not near Nami-san's tangerine trees!" Sanji shouted, herding the dog to a farther corner of the deck.

"Ow, Nana-brat! I was actually just about to go down to the room to-"

"Stay out of it," Nana ordered, shooting a stern look at Franky, "I'm in the middle of something and I don't want any distractions. Can't you go work in one of the docks? Dock #1 should have plenty of room for you to tinker in."

"But I-"

"If you come in, I swear I will break every cola bottle we have on board, including the stash you think I don't know about," Nana threatened. She then turned to Usopp.

"Just open the latch and let Pygmy back downstairs when he's done, okay?" she demanded to no one in particular. She went back down the stairs and slammed the latch firmly behind her.

Usopp and Franky looked over at Sanji. "See what we mean?," they said at the same time.


	42. Weapons Testing

Nana pulled her metal glove over her hand and flexed her fingers to loosen the newly upgraded joints. She fitted a screwdriver into the base of the palm and started to adjust the bolts connecting the dial to her wrist. She held out her palm and turned the dial to its lowest setting.

"Repel," she murmured as she aimed it at a metal waste basket she had placed at her feet.

The basket shot across the floor, knocking over her messenger bag and flying out the door with a loud clang when it landed a few feet away.

"Well," Nana grunted as she closed her fingers into a fist and turned the glove off. "At least I know I can save us from incoming trash cans…"

She pressed her fist against her forehead and she took a deep breath. After the events at Thriller Bark...after meeting Kuma…she knew that having a magnetic glove wasn't enough. His power could repel anything while hers was only useful against metal.

She gritted her teeth. Ever since Sanji's pep talk Nana had spent over a week upgrading her weapons like crazy. Her hammer had new features, her waterboard could now automatically switch to land mode with just a press of a button, and even her metal glove had some improvements but it still wasn't enough. Nana just knew something was missing. But what?

She opened her eyes and she glanced over at her messenger bag. Some of it's contents had spilled onto the floor. She walked toward it and started to put the things back in. She stopped when she noticed the two Sea Prism Stone handcuffs she had taken from Enies Lobby. She picked them up and dangled them in front of her face. _What if…?_

Her eyes widened and she ran out of her room. She barrelled through the ship and climbed up to the Observation Deck. She found Robin sitting quietly on a bench by the window, thumbing through a history book. Nana rushed past her nakama and started to quickly scan through the many books in the library. "Come on...come on...come on…" she muttered to herself.

"What are you looking for, Weaponsmith?" Robin asked politely, not glancing up from her book, "Maybe it's something I can help with. I've read most of the books in here already."

Nana looked over at the archaeologist. "There should be some of my books in here about mechanics. Do you know where they'll be?"

Robin closed her book and casually pointed at the shelf at the opposite end of the room. "I believe all instructional books are over there. Right now you're standing in front of all the fiction books. I think that shelf in particular is the romance one."

"Thanks, Robin," Nana said as she dashed to the correct shelf, "Okay...Let's see... _Principles of Structural Steel_... _Fundamentals of Steam Mechanics_... _Mechanics of Materials_! YES!" She slid a thick, leather bound book from the shelf and hugged it tightly to her chest.

Robin smiled at how much the book pleased the mechanic. "You found what you are looking for, Weaponsmith?"

"I hope so," Nana grinned excitedly, "I really hope so."

* * *

It had been days since the Straw Hats had seen Nana outside of meals and when she had to take over the night watch. Even then, she would rush back into her room as soon as it was over. The good thing was that the weather had been clear the entire time and they hadn't run into any trouble so there was no need to disturb her. However, the captain was in desperate need for some disturbance.

"Gah, this is boring!" Luffy complained as he sat on the railing with a fishing pole. Chopper, Usopp, and Brook sat silently next to him with their own fishing gear, "Where's Nana? Let's use her fishing cannon! OYYYY! NANA!"

He jumped off his seat and started to stomp all around the lawn deck, hoping to get Nana's attention with the noise.

"Idiot," Usopp snapped, "The problem isn't our gear. There's just no fish! Even if we do shoot the cannon, it won't catch anything."

"Now, now, Luffy-san," Brook said calmly, "Let's be patient."

Luffy grimaced as if the word itself caused him pain. He sat back on the railing and sulked. Then he leaned backwards until he was practically bent in a perfect U and he stared at his nakama behind him. Nami, Sanji, and Brook were seated around a picnic they had spread on the lawn and they were enjoying some tea and cakes.

"Oy, Nami," Luffy whined, "How much farther to Fishman Island? Well? Well?"

Nami slammed her teacup down on the saucer, spilling a drop of tea over her hand. "Man, you're annoying!" she sighed, "We're definitely drawing closer."

Nana's head poked out from the latch. She leapt onto the lawn deck with her eyes narrowed. "What's the matter? Are we under attack? What's going on?" she demanded with her glove and hammer in hand, "Why'd you call for me?"

"Nothing, Nana," Nami sighed, "Luffy was yelling because he wanted to play with your cannons."

Nana went over and whacked the Straw Hat on the back of the head with her hammer. "My cannons are not toys," she said sternly, "And don't shout for me if there's no threat!"

"But I'm boooored," Luffy pouted, "I wish we would just get to Fishman Island already."

"Oh, Fishman Island…" Sanji cooed as he got up to his feet and started to wiggle around the deck, "Soon I'll be able to see the beautiful mermaids! Where are the mermaids I've dreamt of?"

His outburst woke the sleeping swordsman up from his nap below the mast and he scowled. "Oy, you pervy cook. Don't profess your undying love one minute and then fantasize about mermaids the next. It's irritating!"

"Yeah, how do you think that makes Nana feel?" Nami jumped in.

Nana leaned her hammer against her shoulder and she raised an eyebrow. "What's it to me? Besides...haven't you seen Granny Kokoro? Let him have his fantasies. Mermaids are probably just like humans. Some of them may be rare beauties but you can't expect all of them to be that way."

Sanji immediately dropped to his knees dejectedly. "Granny…" he whispered painfully, "Kokoro…?"

"Ahhh! Take it back, Nana or else you're going to crush his soul!" Chopper shrieked.

"Ugh! I've had it!" Luffy erupted from the railing. He flung his arms out and threw his fishing pole onto the deck, "Sanji! Feed me!"

"Wait!" Usopp suddenly cried out as he pulled his goggles over his eyes, "Isn't that…? I see a huge school of fish and it's coming our way!"

"See? If you wait, things will work out perfectly," Brook said.

"Shishishishi," Luffy laughed. He got back on his seat with his fishing pole back in hand, "Let's catch a bunch!"

"Wow, he changed his tune rather quick…" Nana muttered.

Without warning, Nami got up to her feet and walked towards the railing. She looked up at the sky and then down at the sea. "That's…"

"Wh-what is it?" Usopp gasped nervously as he studied her face, "Why do I have a feeling you're about to tell us something bad's about to happen?"

The sky instantly darkened and the air pressure dropped severely. A cold wind swept through the ship. "We're in a Yuda Current!" Nami exclaimed, "Everyone be careful!"

The sea around them started to swirl in tiny whirlpools. Then the water sprouted from them like powerful geysers. They resembled giant pillars that stretched and writhed up to the stormy heavens. "What's with these waterspouts?" Zoro asked, "They look like they're alive."

"This could get a bit nasty," Franky commented.

"Awesome!" Luffy cheered.

Sanji ran to the steering wheel. He grabbed a hold of it and tried to turn it portside but the wheel wouldn't budge. "Damn it…"

One of the waterspouts closest to them started to bend over. The pressurized water started to charge towards the deck. "Ahhhhh!" Chopper screamed.

Zoro leapt into the air and sliced the water away and it fell around them like heavy rain. Another waterspout came at them from the other side. Franky fired his weapons and blasted the water away.

"Oy!" Zoro shouted up towards Sanji, "Why are you just standing there? Steer the ship!"

"Shut up!" Sanji barked back, "The rudder is caught in the currents. It won't budge!"

"Gum Gum Gatling!" Luffy hollered as he threw a flurry of punches to break away another stream of water.

Nana raised her hammer and she ran towards three incoming currents. "Nana Special!" she roared as she pointed her hammer head at them, "Curly Blow!"

"Curly what?" Nana heard Sanji ask from behind her.

A jet of high pressured steam came shooting out of her hammer head but instead of straight out, it curled around and around itself, maximizing the area of damage. It blasted through the three water streams and pushing them away from the ship.

"Wooooooo!" Chopper cheered and Nana smirked at him.

"Did I not tell you about my latest upgrade? Sanji actually gave me that idea."

"Oooh! Nana-chwannnn!" Sanji swooned from the steering wheel, "I'm so honored to have-

"Ow! This is super not the time," Franky shouted as he blocked an incoming current with his star shield.

"Can't we just leave with Coup de Burst?" Nana demanded.

"No," Nami said as she looked around them with binoculars, "I can't see where this current ends. Even a Coup de Burst couldn't free us of this current."

"What?! That's horrible!" Chopper shrieked.

The ship started to shake violently and then it lifted upwards. Nana quickly dropped her hammer to the ground for stability and hooked an arm over Pygmy.

"Whoah! Are we floating?!" Luffy demanded.

"No!" Nana gasped as the sea swelled up under them. A water stream started to arc out of the water, carrying the Thousand Sunny on it and as it started to rise, it flung the ship high into the air. Chopper lost his foothold and flew across the deck with Robin catching him with her Ocho Fleur just in the nick of time. "We're falling!"

The Thousand Sunny crashed back into the sea only to have it whipped up again by another current. They bounced along the sea for what felt like hours until the currents began to die and the bounces became less harsh.

"Guys! Look!" Nami reported with her binoculars stuck on her eyes, "The Red Line! I see it!"

The Straw Hats clamored over to the bow of the ship to get a good look. They could see the faint traces of the red line along the horizon. Before they could see any more, a giant stream shot up in front of them blocking their way and their view.

"Sanji-kun!" Nami ordered, "Ride that waterspout!"

"Aye aye," Sanji replied from the steering wheel.

"What?!" Nana gasped.

"Trust us," Nami replied, "We've done this on a bigger scale, when we went to the sky island."

"That was a blast, wasn't it?" Luffy chuckled.

"We didn't think it was fun!" Usopp and Chopper protested.

The stream bent over and crashed directly in front of the ship. With Sanji's careful steering and quick reflexes, they rode up the stream and started to climb higher and higher. Franky rushed over to the wheel and shoved Sanji out of the way. "We could use the Coup de Burst now!"

Brook and Zoro scrambled up the mast to furl the sails and Nana held tightly to her hammer and Pygmy.

"Go!" Luffy shouted.

"Coup de…" Franky cried as they exploded out of the dark storm, "Burst!"

They landed directly in front the red earth that stretched around the world. The clouds were far away behind them and the sun shined down on the massive red crust.

"So this is the Red Line…" Nana whispered as she tilted her head back to take it all in. The top of the Red Line was shrouded in fog and mist, "It's so tall."

"Supposedly I crossed Reverse Mountain from the South Blue as a little kid," Franky grinned.

_That must mean I once did too…_

Nana squinted her eyes and tried to see if she could see more of the Red Line to bring back any memories but nothing came to her. She couldn't help but feel relieved. She had no interest in being Gridley D. Sylvia and wanted nothing to do with her. She was Mizu Nana. That was that.

Her looked over at her captain, who was hopping with joy. "All we have to do is travel halfway across the world and when we do…" Luffy said excitedly, "I'll be the King of Pirates! Shishishishishi."

Nana snorted and then put her hands on her hips. " Yeah...let's just figure out how to get over the Red Line first."

Nami folded her arms across her chest. "Yes. We need to be really careful. This is right next to the navy Headquarters and the Holy Land of Marie Jois."

Nana looked over at the navigator. "What does your log pose tell you?"

Nami held up her wrist to show Nana. The log pose was pointing straight down to the bottom of the ocean. Nana felt her throat tighten and she gulped nervously. "So...we're really going down there, huh? Into...the water..."

"Ow! We should probably check it out first," Franky shouted, "Why don't we take the Shark Submerge for a spin?"

"Shark Submerge?!" Luffy asked excitedly, "What's that?"

"Oh yeah...You weren't there when I explained the docking system to Nee-chan and Long Nose. The Shark Submerge III is the submarine the brat and I built," Franky said proudly, "It's in Dock #3 right now."

Luffy clapped his hands. "Oooh! I want to ride it. Let's go! Let's go!'

He dashed towards the lower deck but Nami grabbed him by the collar just as he whizzed past. "Wait. You're not going alone."

"The Shark Submerge can hold up to three people so two others should go with him," Nana said.

"I'll go," Robin offered.

"Great," Nami said with a grateful nod, "And Nana-"

"I can't," Nana declined bluntly, "I can build submarines...but asking me to ride in one is pushing it."

"Oh yeah," Nami sighed, "I forgot about your fear of water."

"I can go, Nami-san. Nana-san." Brook volunteered.

"Yosh! That's three. Let's go!" Luffy cheered as he broke away from Nami and headed downstairs.

"Thanks, Brook," Nana said, "Just remember, the submarine can't go below 7000 meters."

Franky frowned, "5000 meters, Nana-brat."

Nana smirked, "For one of _your_ creations, maybe." She turned to Brook and Robin. "Come on. I'll show you how to operate the submarine."

"Thank you, Nana-san," Brook said sincerely, "And may I ask...what color are your panties today?"

"Red," Nana replied without blinking, "With a bra to match."

"NANA!" the rest of the Straw Hats cried in horror while Sanji's nose started to bleed as he pictured his beloved angel in red lingerie.

"Yohohoho," Brook laughed with blood coming out of the nose hole of his skull, "How very bold of you, Nana-san."

"You jerk!" Sanji seethed as he kicked Brook in the head, "Don't look at Nana-chan in that perverted way. How dare you leer at her!"

"Yohohoho. But Sanji-san, I have no eyes," Brook replied jovially.

Nana shrugged as the others gaped at her. "What? He asked for the color. I'm not going to show it to him."

"Nana!" Nami huffed, "If you answer him, you'll only encourage that kind of behavior."

"He's going to keep asking anyways. Besides, what's the harm?" Nana said breezily. She made her across the deck and opened the latch. "You guys coming or what?"

* * *

"Chopper!" Nana called out as she leaned over the railing to wave down at the reindeer, "Can you come up here for a second?"

While they waited for Luffy and the others to come back from their underwater scouting, Franky had pulled out the inflatable pool for Chopper and Usopp to swim in. They were splashing around with Pygmy doing laps with them.

Chopper looked up at the mechanic and he pouted. "Can't I stay in for a little bit longer?"

"It'll be really quick! I just need you to test something and then you can go back in the pool," Nana said assuredly.

"Nana-chwannnn," Sanji called out as he twirled over to her, "I can help you!"

"No," Nana said bluntly, "I need a devil fruit user and the rest are in the submarine."

"Awww. I wanna stay down here," Chopper whined.

"Yeah, Nana! Leave us alone. We can do your test later," Usopp called.

"Alright…" Nana said. A sly smile crept over her face and her eyes gleamed with determination. Usopp immediately started to sweat.

"N-N-Nana, what's that look on your face?" he whimpered.

"If you won't let me do the first test...then I guess I'll just have to jump straight to the final test," Nana grinned as she twisted the dial around her metal glove and held it out over the railing with her palms hovering over Chopper and Usopp.

"NANA! What are you doing?!" Chopper shrieked.

"Oh my god! She's going to make our hearts explode!" Usopp cried as he clutched tightly onto the reindeer.

"Nana! Nooooo!"

"Nana Special!" Nana roared as a small mechanical whirring sound started to come from her glove, "Geyser Jets!"

Jets of seawater shot up from around the inflatable pool with Chopper and Usopp screaming with fright in the middle. They reached up towards the Thousand Sunny and stopped just an inch away from Nana's glove before falling back down on the seawater below, splashing the two and temporarily weakening Chopper.

"What the hell was that?!" Usopp cried up at Nana, "Couldn't you at least warn us?"

"Seriously, Nana-brat!" Franky gasped as he, Nami, and Sanji ran over to her. The cyborg grabbed her glove, "What was that? Did you just…?"

Nana grinned and pulled her hand away from Franky. She turned to Nami. "Do you remember what we heard from the marines? About Sea Prism Stones?"

"That they cover the bottom of their ships with Sea Prism Stones to get past the Sea Kings in the Calm Belt?" Nami asked.

"En," Nana said with a nod, "Because Sea Prism Stone gives off the same energy as the sea."

Nami and Sanji looked curiously at her while Franky's eyes widened behind his sunglasses. "Nana-brat. Don't tell me you…"

"I figured if a stone can give off a specific energy, then it must be some sort of a lodestone, which are naturally magnetized materials," Nana said as she held out a pair of her Sea Prism Stone handcuffs, "I took these from Enies Lobby and did a couple of tests."

She tossed them to the other side of the deck and then held out her glove. "And after some adjustments to my glove…" Immediately, the handcuffs shot across the deck and into her hand, "I found the right frequency to match the Sea Prism Stone."

She looked at Franky, who had lifted up his sunglasses and was gaping back at her. "So then I thought, since they emulate the same energy as the sea...If I could attract Sea Prism Stones…"

Sanji's mouth fell open and the cigarette fell from his lips. "You could attract sea water!"

Nana closed her fingers to a fist and she smiled triumphantly at the shocked Straw Hats. "It's not as powerful as it needs to be and I'm not able to control the water but...I think I'm off to a good start...What do you guys think?"

"I think," Franky said he looked at her proudly, "The government was right to give you that super bounty."


	43. Mermaids and Flying Fish

"Nami-swannnn! Nana-chwannnnn! I made some delicious tarts from the horror pears grown on Thriller Bark!" Sanji sang as he twirled out of his kitchen with two trays in hand.

He set two tarts in front of the ladies. They were individual tarts with a thick buttery crust and glossy pears sliced and layered on the top. "Wow, that looks good," Nami exclaimed as she ate a forkful.

"Should we tell Zoro there's snacks?" Chopper asked as he shot a look up at the gym, where Zoro had been training all afternoon.

"Forget about the morimo," Sanji said, "Nana-chwannn, what do you think of my tarts?"

Nana didn't even bother with a fork. She picked it up with her fingers and took a huge, unladylike bite out of it. "Delicious and not too sweet," she said with her mouth full.

"Ahhh, Nana-chan with her face covered in crumbs is so adorable," Sanji sighed and then he looked around, "Has Robin-chwan and those two idiots not come back yet?"

Nana shook her head as Nami looked at her Log Pose, which was still pointing to the bottom of the sea. "I know which direction to go but I don't know how to get there. It's like sky island all over again," the navigator sighed, "How are we supposed to reach Fishman Island?"

The sounds of the submarine resurfacing broke through on the side of the ship and the Straw Hats clamored over to receive their captain.

"That was fun!" Brook cheered as he swung the door open and climbed out of the submarine, followed by Robin and then Luffy.

"Ah, it was so dark. We couldn't see anything," Luffy reported, "Does Fishman Island even exist?"

"The Log Pose is pointing straight down so it has to be there," Nami sighed.

"And Granny Kokoro had to come from somewhere," Nana added.

"No, Nana-chan! That old hag did not come Fishman Island. She must've come from somewhere else!" Sanji insisted.

"Don't be rude," Nami snapped and gave him a hard punch across the face. She then rested her own face in her hands, "I should have asked her and Lola for more information."

Nana was about to reply when something else started to bubble up to the surface. She turned just in time to see a Sea King, three times the size of the Sunny, leap out of the water. It had the head of a deranged rabbit with the body of a red scaled fish. "What the hell is that?!"

"It's the guy from earlier!" Luffy shrieked, "We saw him when we were underwater!"

"Idiot! You lured him to us?!" Nana cried.

The Sea King drew back it's head and roared. The rubber man quickly leapt onto his spot on the Thousand Sunny's mast head and he drew back his fist. "Don't expect to defeat me when we're above water," he grinned, "Gum Gum Rifle!"

He punched the Sea King hard in the stomach, sending him back into the sea.

"Hmph," Usopp snorted as he put his hands on his hips, "It didn't seem all that big."

"You're so brave, Usopp-sama," Nana quipped dryly.

Just as the Sea King was about to go underwater, something spurted out of its mouth and came flying towards the Thousand Sunny. "It barfed something out," Sanji gawked.

"A fish?" Luffy wondered.

As the shadow fell closer and closer to the ship, they could hear the faint sounds of a female scream. "A person?!" Usopp sputtered.

The silhouette became more clear and Nana pulled down her goggles so she could see a bit better. "Two things...not one," she muttered and then her eyes widened when one of the shadows began to form into a fishtail on one end with a distinct female form on the other, "That's a…"

"C-c-could it be?!" Sanji shouted with delight as he ran over to catch the falling creature. It collided with Sanji and threw him down to the ground while a second figure fell next to it.

Nana eyeballed the two newcomers. One was an orange starfish and it had on a red, yellow, and green hat. While the other one was a female with unruly green hair and a pink fishtail. "A...mermaid…" Nana breathed.

The mermaid was beautiful. She wasn't a fantasy and she didn't look like Granny Kokoro. She was real...and she was sitting directly on top of Sanji. His dream girl had literally fallen into his lap. Nana felt her heart drop down to her stomach and then mentally scolded herself for feeling that way.

The mermaid panted heavily as she tried to catch her breath. Then she straightened up and cheered. "I'm alive! That was amazing!"

To Nana's shock, the starfish started to talk to the mermaid. "This is no time to be impressed!" it scolded, "It nearly digested us! I can't believe you swam right in front of that sea monster."

The mermaid folded her hands on her lap and hung her head. "I didn't notice him," she whimpered.

"How did you not notice something that big?!" the starfish snapped and then he paused to look at the mermaid a bit closer, "Hey...I don't really care but you're squishing something."

"Huh?" the mermaid asked and then looked down at the dazed cook that she was kneeling on. "AH! I crushed a human! I'm so sorry! Are you alright?!"

"Yeah, yeah," Sanji gurgled weakly, "Don't sweat it. I'm more interested in you…"

Nana's stomach tightened and she rolled her eyes at herself. _What did you expect, Mizu Nana? Don't act all surprised._

"Are you okay? Please pull yourself together," the mermaid shouted as she shook Sanji by the shoulders.

"You're so cute…" Sanji cried limply.

"You didn't get hurt, right?" the mermaid asked.

Out of nowhere, Pygmy shot out from behind Nana and he bared his teeth at the mermaid.

"Ahhhhh!" the mermaid cried as Nana hurriedly dashed forward to grab her pet back.

"Pyg! No!" Nana yelled sternly as she held him by the neck. She turned to the mermaid, "Ignore him. He's harmless. I think he just doesn't like fish."

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!" the mermaid screamed back at Nana, even louder than she had with Pygmy, and Nana jumped back in surprise. "What a shocker! There are a bunch of humans!"

"You just noticed?!" the Straw Hats exclaimed.

Nana snorted as she dragged Pygmy away and towards Franky. _She's beautiful but kind of a ditz._

The cyborg raised an eyebrow at her but said nothing as she stood next to him with a strong grip on Pygmy's saddle.

"Shishishi," Luffy laughed at the mermaid, "When I punched the Sea King, I didn't expect a mermaid to come out of it. What were you doing in there?"

"Idiot!" Usopp snapped, "Obviously, she got eaten. It's not like the belly of a Sea King is a mermaid hang out spot."

"Th-thank you for saving me from getting digested!" the mermaid hurriedly stressed, "My name is Camie. I have a tendency to get eaten by sea monsters. This is like the twentieth time."

"That number is way too high," Usopp sputtered.

 _Oh good...Beautiful, ditzy, and needs to be constantly saved,_ Nana couldn't help but think, _Could she fit the bill anymore?_

"I should do something to repay you…," Camie said thoughtfully, "Oh! I know! Do you like takoyaki?"

"Takoyaki! I love it!" Luffy exclaimed excitedly.

Nana patted Pygmy on the neck and drew him closer to her _. And she cooks. I just had to ask._

"I'm Nami, the navigator for this ship," Nami interjected as she pointed around the ship, "Luffy is the captain, that's Usopp...Chopper, Nana holding her dog, Pygmy...Franky, Brook, Robin..Zoro is upstairs somewhere working out but you don't have to worry about him…oh and that idiot over there is Sanji-kun."

Sanji leapt to his feet and started to twirl around excitedly. "A mermaid! A mermaid! Yes, the mermaid that all mankind fantasizes about! The ocean's gem, mermaid! Yes, I've finally met a mermaid! You're so cute! I've never seen a mermaid before!"

Nana lost it. "Granny Kokoro!" she roared, "She's a mermaid! She's 100%, undeniably, absolutely, irrefutably a mermaid too!"

The Straw Hats gaped at Nana while Sanji crumpled into a ball on the floor as he thought about Granny Kokoro in her mermaid state. "Thriller...Bark..?" he recalled faintly while his whole body trembled, "No...that was nothing. That wasn't scary. If I had to pick the scariest thing I've ever seen, it'd be…"

"Sanji! Just pretend you never saw her," Usopp suggested as he tried to lift his nakama's spirit.

"No. Don't be rude," Nana said sternly, "And the sooner you face reality the better. Granny Kokoro _is_ a mermaid."

"Wow, harsh Nana-brat," Franky muttered to her, "You might as well just go kick him in the nuts."

"I'm doing it out of respect for Granny Kokoro," Nana spat back.

"Wait...Granny Kokoro is a mermaid? But she can walk…" Luffy asked, not picking up on the tension that was coming from his mechanic. He wrinkled his nose, "The mental image of Granny Kokoro as a mermaid is kinda freaky."

"You're too blunt!" Nami yelled as she threw a punch at the captain.

"That hurt!" Luffy complained, "What was that for, Nami?"

"Sheesh," Nami sighed as she crossed her arms, "I agree with Nana. The men here have unrealistic expectations for mermaids."

"But this is an adorable mermaid, don't you think?" Robin said diplomatically.

"For the record, do you poop?" Luffy asked solemnly.

"I-"

"She does not!" Sanji insisted as he injected himself between Luffy and Camie.

"Idiots," Nana scoffed, "They're all idiots." She looked down at her Pygmy, who was still growling at Camie.

She bent over so that her and Pygmy were eye level. She petted his head. He whined and then licked her nose. She smiled and licked his nose back. "It's fine. I'm fine."

He wagged his tail slowly and then licked her face again. Nana gave a small laugh and then pointed at the starfish, who was sulking in a corner. "Speaking of my pet...what's up with your pet?"

Camie looked over to where Nana was pointing and she smiled. "Sorry, he completely slipped my mind. This is Pappagu. He's a starfish and my mentor!"

"Your mentor?" Luffy asked as he grabbed starfish and dangled it in front of his own face.

"Can starfish talk?" Usopp wondered to Nami.

"Why is her mentor her pet?" Nami questioned back.

Camie held out the ends of her shirt, "This is Crimin-brand t-shirt. It's popular on Fishman Island. Pappagu is the designer. I hope to become one someday too."

"You can do it! I believe in you, Camie-chan!" Sanji cheered.

"So why can you talk?" Nana asked, decidingly ignoring the mermaid and the chef and just focus on the starfish. She gave him a hard poke with her finger.

"Back when I was a kid, I thought I was a person. By the time I realized I was a starfish, I could already talk like a human!" Pappagu exclaimed proudly.

"What the hell kind of logic is that?" Nana yelled as she smacked the starfish out of Luffy's hands.

"Oy! Don't do that, Nana! He's our guest," Luffy lectured.

"Whoa, since when did you care about behavior?" Usopp asked.

Luffy stomped his foot and he huffed at Nana. "If you make him mad, we won't get takoyaki!"

"THAT'S THE REASON?!" Usopp cried incredulously.

"Oh yeah! The takoyaki!" Camie shouted as she pulled out a transponder snail from her starfish shaped backpack, "We'll need to meet up with Hatchin somewhere."

"Hatchin?" Nana asked as Camie connected her snail.

_Purupurupurupurupuru. Catcha._

"Hello? Hatchin!" Camie announced cheerfully, "This is Camie. Sorry we got split up. Where are you right now?'

"Oh! Does that voice belong to Camie? Hahaha," came a low growl, "Can you guess who I am? I'm not Hatchin."

"What?!" Camie screamed.

"I'm Macro of the eccentric Macro Crew that always catches you."

"Wow, that slipped right out…" Nana murmured as she folded her arms across her chest, "Today is just filled with idiots."

"Why do you have Hatchin's portable transponder snail?" Camie demanded.

"Because I trashed Hachi, obviously!"

"Liar! You could never defeat Hatchi."

"Yeah, you have a point. Normally we don't stand a chance before Hachi but this time, we hooked up with the Flying Fish Riders. Mwahahahaha," Macro laughed, "I'm going to sell him. Octopus fishmen are rare and can sell for a high price. If you want to save him, you'd better hurry over. I'm in the sea, 5 km east of Grove #44 at the Sabaody Archipelago. It's the hideout of the Flying Fish Riders."

"Don't listen to him!" a new voice appeared, "Don't come here, Camie-chan!"

"Hatchin!" Camie cried.

"Later," Macro replied, taking over control of the call.

_Catcha._

"So...when do I get takoyaki?" Luffy questioned with a stress-free grin.

"Now is not the time for that!" Franky and Sanji shouted as they both kicked the rubber man in the head.

"I'm sorry, Luffy-chin. Could I give you that takoyaki some other time?" Camie asked, "I have to hurry and rescue a friend."

"Sorry to butt in," Nami said as she approached the mermaid, "But we'll help rescue your captive friend…In exchange, could you tell us how to get to Fishman Island?"

"Are you sure, Nami-chin?"

"Of course," Nami replied confidently.

"So who is Hatchin?" Luffy asked.

"The owner of the takoyaki stand I work at. His takoyaki is really good," Camie answered.

Luffy's eyes widened. "This is a big deal! Guys, save the takoyaki even if it kills you!"

"Yeah!" the men cheered while Nana rolled her eyes and Robin chuckled to herself.

* * *

With the guidance of a large school of fish, and the revelation that mermaids could talk to fishes, the Straw Hats were en route to the Flying Fish Riders' hideout. Even Zoro was brought up to speed and the swordsman sat lounging on the deck, cooling down from his long workout. Pappagu also filled them in on why Camie and their friend Hatchin were being hunted in the first place. He explained that kidnapping was frequent around the area because human trafficking was still thriving in a nearby place known as Sabaody Archipelago.

"They buy and sell humans? That's horrible…" Sanji commented as he took a deep puff from his cigarette.

"Mermaids sell at a higher price so there's a group called the 'Marco Crew' that is constantly going after Camie," Pappagu continued, "Usually Hatchi could wipe the floor with that crew but now it seems they've partnered up with the Flying Fish Riders. They are a recent group that just gained notoriety. Their boss is a man in an iron mask named Duval. No one knows what he looks like. Supposedly he's looking for someone."

"Sounds like a pain to me," Franky remarked.

Nana smirked and raised her metal gloved hand. "Looks like I might have to rip the iron mask right off of him."

Usopp's eyes widened as he stood behind the steering wheel. "Oh yeah! Luffy!" he called as he turned to the captain, "We haven't told you about Nana's latest upgrade!"

"Don't look away from the fish. We'll get lost!" Nami snapped as she smacked him across the head.

"Sorry…" Usopp whimpered.

The faint sounds of engines whirring drew Nana's attention and her head snapped up. It was coming from somewhere ahead of them. Somewhere high. "Pyg? You hear that?" she asked.

Pygmy barked in response. "Guys! Quiet!" Nana ordered the group as she shut her eyes to listen better, "Things just got interesting."

"Ahhhh!" Usopp screamed from the wheel, "The fish! They've dispersed."

Camie cupped her ears to listen to what her fish friends had to say. "The fish said, 'Sorry, but this is as far as we go!' Nana-chin, can you understand fish too?"

"No…," Nana muttered as she grabbed her hammer and looked up at the sky, "I understand metal."

"Ahhh! It's the Flying Fish Riders!" Pappagu cried.

Three large Flying Fish, each the size of an adult dolphin, appeared behind some clouds and they swooped down towards the Straw Hats. They had seats strapped on their backs that had motorcyle handles and pedals attached to them. Their fins flapped with hummingbird like speed, creating a whirring and buzzing sound that Nana had mistaken for an engine.

"So...cool!" Nana and Luffy marvelled with their eyes shining with excitement.

"This is no time to admire them!" Zoro snapped at the pair.

"Can all Flying Fish soar like that?" Chopper gasped.

"They can only fly for five minutes and then they'll need to go back to the water," Pappagu explained.

The Riders came flying back and Nana could hear the unmistakable sounds of bombs being dropped. "Incoming!" she warned.

Three bombs appeared overhead and Zoro and Luffy got ready. Luffy punched one bomb away while the swordsman sliced the other two. The three bombs detonated just outside of the ship with the ship lightly swaying from the aftershock.

Nana gripped her hammer, preparing for another wave of attack when without warning, the riders flew off. "What the…?" she asked as she lowered her weapon, "Why are they flying away?"

"Why do you sound so disappointed that we're not getting attacked?!" Usopp snapped.

Nana pouted and she looked over at Franky. "I wanted to see the Flying Fish up close. I wanted to see how it worked."

"I wanted to ride one!" Luffy complained.

"Ow, Nana-brat. Straw Hat, don't worry. We'll super get our chance once we go to their hideout," Franky said flashing a thumbs up sign.

"Do you think they were ordered to retreat?" Robin contemplated.

"Whatever the case, should I go bring a cannon onto the deck so that we could shoot one down?" Usopp suggested.

"Good idea!" Franky cheered.

"Get the net cannon!" Nana shouted at the same time, "I want to capture at least one alive so I can study it."

"What?!

* * *

As they approached the Flying Fish Riders' hideout, Nana noticed two things. The first was that the hideout was a residential area built on water. The second was that it was too quiet for the amount of housing it provided. Nana could see about a dozen or so buildings just from a distance so where were all the people?

"Trap. Definitely a trap," she muttered to no one in particular. Not that it would've mattered to the captain anyways.

"Steady on course!" the captain ordered.

"At least come up with a plan," Usopp shouted.

"Be careful," Camie warned, "I've been captured by them almost thirty times now."

"That number is way too high!" Usopp exclaimed.

"Don't worry, Camie-chan. I'll protect you!" Sanji cooed lovingly.

Nana breathed in a calming breath and she flexed her fingers around her hammer instinctively. She didn't know who was irritating her the most, Sanji or herself. She decided to just focus on the task at hand.

The base was shaped in a semi circle with a massive stone wall around it. A cage dangled at the center of the island, right above the water, and right in front of its dock. Something was in the cage but it looked like a black blob of ink.

"Could that be Hatchin?" Camie asked.

"What luck! There aren't any enemies around. It must be their snack time," Pappagu theorized.

"This is obviously a trap!" Usopp hissed.

"Everyone is hiding nearby, waiting for the chance to strike," Franky added.

Camie and Pappagu's jaws dropped to the floor. "I can't believe you saw through the trap! THe thought never even occurred to us."

"That's how you guys got captured so many times!" Franky and Usopp shouted back.

The ship continued through and it stopped right in front of the cage. The black bob started to wriggle in its cage. "I'm right here, Camie! I'm fine so don't worry about me," it said.

"You really are Hatchin!" Camie replied with a breath of relief, "But why are you all black?"

"There's many reasons…" Hatchi said slowly.

"The voice sounds familiar and he has the same unusual silhouette," Zoro murmured to Nami, "What do you think?"

Nana looked curiously at the swordsman and she was surprised to find that he, Nami, and Sanji were all standing together with the same contemplative look on their face.

"Do you guys know him?" she asked.

Luffy tilted his head and looked back Nana curiously. "Know who?"

"Only one way to find out…" Sanji said and he cupped his hand around his mouth. "Oy!" he shouted to Hatchi, "Is Arlong doing well?"

"Oh? Arlong-san. No, the Navy still has Arlong-san, Choo, and Kuroobi," Hatchi answered, "I'm the only one who managed to break out of jail. I'm currently living my old dream of running a takoyaki stand."

"Arlong?" Luffy muttered to himself as he scratched his chin.

"Wait...for it…" Usopp sighed.

Luffy's eyes widened and his hands dropped to his side. "AHHHHHHHHH! OCTOPUS, IS THAT YOU?!" he screamed so loudly that the whole ship rocked with his voice.

"And there it is…" Usopp said, shaking his head in defeat.

"The Hatchin that is the takoyaki chef...is also the octopus from Arlong's crew?" Luffy yelled angrily.

Robin, Chopper, Brook, Franky, and Nana all exchanged looks of confusion. "What's going on?" Robin asked.

"Er...we have a history with him," Usopp explained, "Nami's hometown was ruled by a band of fishman pirates called the Arlong Pirates. They made life a nightmare for Nami. That octopus was one of their crewmembers. He was a top officer."

"So he's the enemy," Franky summarized.

"How bad was it, Nami?" Nana asked.

Nami instinctively reached over to put her hand over her tattoo. "It was hell," she stated quietly. Her expression was grim and her eyes darkened.

The captain marched to the front of the ship. "Now that we know that it's you, there's no way we're going to save you!" Luffy declared. Then he clenched his fist and he gritted his teeth. "But...is...your takoyaki really that yummy?"

"Don't waver between food and logic!" Sanji lectured.

Camie looked around the crew cluelessly. "By any chance, do you know Hatchin? Are you friends with him?"

"We aren't friends with that guy!" Zoro snapped at the mermaid.

The mermaid sank to the floor and she looked up sadly at Nami. "Nami-chin…?"

Nami sighed and put her hand to her face. "I'm sorry, Camie," she muttered as her eyes in frustration, "I had no idea that he was your friend."

"I can't believe it.. So you aren't going to help me save him?" Camie cried, "Hatchin!"

"It's for the best," Hatchi replied defeatedly, "Just go without me, Camie. I'll be fine."

Camie clenched her fist tightly next to her fishtail and then she looked up with sudden determination. "No! You've saved me so many times. It's time for me to save you!"

She leapt over the railing and then dove into the water.

"Camie!" the Straw Hats called as Pappagu jumped in after her.

"Tch, she's being stupid," Zoro growled.

Within seconds, Pappagu and Camie emerged from the water with a group of fishmen holding tightly to them. "We've got ya, Camie!"

"Do you have any type of survival skills?!" Nana asked incredulously.

Hachi started to bang his head furiously against the cage. "Camie! Pappagu!"

"Those monsters," Sanji seethed as he walked towards the railing, "Camie-chan hasn't done anything wrong."

"Wait!" Nami said as she looked at the frantic octopus, who was desperately trying to save his friends. She closed her eyes and let out a small sigh, "Okay. Let's save Hachi as well."

"Are you sure?" Nana asked.

Nami smiled back at her nakama. "We can help Hachi. He's actually harmless. Besides we don't want to break our promise to Camie."

"Nami-swan! You're wonderful when you act tough!" Sanji cheered.

Nana scoffed at Sanji's behavior but then she couldn't help but wonder why she wasn't bothered when Sanji doted on Nami or Robin but she was when he paid attention to a mermaid. _What is the matter with me?_


	44. Duvall

If Nana was to be perfectly honest, she wasn't really fighting to save Camie or Pappagu, much less Hatchi. She wasn't fighting to protect any one of the Straw Hats either as they were all holding their own against the Flying Fish Riders. She wasn't even fighting because she had some anger and frustration she needed to take out on someone.

No, she was purely fighting because she wanted a Flying Fish. The net cannon wasn't much use as the Flying Fish were zipping around too quickly.

"Nana Special!" she cried as she threw her hammer at one of the incoming riders, who was dive bombing towards them, "Hammerang!"

The hammer clocked the rider in the face, sending him flying off of his ride and into the sea below. The hammer came circling back towards her and she quickly dashed over to Sanji. "Sanji! Give me a lift," she barked.

"Yes, Nana-chwannnnn," he replied dutifully as he swung his leg up. Nana leapt into the air and placed her feet on his leg as he kicked her upwards towards the descending Flying Fish.

She shot into the sky and she grabbed the handles at the last second. She pulled herself into the seat and tried for the third time to pull the Flying Fish up. "Come on, come on," she said as she fidgeted with the pedals and the handlebar.

"Nana-chan! Look out!" Sanji warned.

Nana looked up just in time to see that her ride was just about to crash into the sea so she quickly leapt off and tumbled back on the ship before she sank to a watery grave. "God damn it," she seethed as she got up to her feet to try again.

"Ow, Nana-brat, stop focusing on getting a ride and help me move the ship," Franky ordered as he fired his Weapons Left at an incoming group of riders, "They've got the upper hand as long as we're floating on the water."

"Fine! But you owe me a Flying Fish," Nana spat back as she raced towards the steering wheel, "Oh! And you better cover me."

"Shouldn't you switch your priorities?!" Usopp sputtered.

Nana grabbed the wheel and just as she was about to turn it, she heard a sudden crash within the hideout, where Zoro and Brook were protecting Camie, Pappagu, and Hatchi.

"Look out! Look out! It's coming our way!" Luffy shouted as he emerged from the dust cloud.

"What is?" Zoro asked.

"A dude in an iron mask and a cow," Luffy answered.

"Cow?" Nami asked just as the house in front of Luffy collapsed and a large man sitting on top of an even larger bull came charging through. The bull had the same handles as the ones strapped onto the Flying Fish and the man wore heavy shoulder plates. He carried a big harpoon gun in each hand.

"Flying Fish Riders," the man growled through his iron mask, "How dare you let them swat you down one after the next? You aren't mosquitos or flies!"

"I'm guessing that's Duvall…" Nana murmurred, "Unless there's another iron mask wearing guy running around."

"Did...he just flatten his own home?" Usopp asked incredulously.

"I will no longer need this hideout," Duvall answered, "Not after I kill the Straw Hats."

"Huh? I thought they were after Camie…" Nana crossed her arms and tilted her head, "Oy! What's your deal?"

"This is a glorious day," Duvall continued, 'I have burned, _burned,_ to kill that man so badly that he has appeared in my dreams! And now he is here, right before my eyes. It's wonderful. There really is a god, isn't there?"

"Hey...Why do I get the feeling he's ranting in our general direction?" Usopp asked.

Nana automatically turned to Franky, "What the hell did you do?" she demanded.

Franky was genuinely offended. "Me?! Why do you super think it's me?"

"Ugh I knew your years as the leader of the Franky Family was going to come and bite us in the ass," Nana groaned.

"Even if I die because of it, I swear that today you will die here by my own hands," Duvall seethed, "...Pirate scum, 'Black Leg' Sanji!"

Franky looked triumphantly at Nana. "See, Nana-brat?! It wasn't me!"

Nana shrugged. "I had to go with the odds."

They all turned to the cook, who looked perplexed by this revelation. "Sanji, who is he?" Nana asked.

"Does it date back to your restaurant days? Think back!" Nami suggested.

Sanji scratched the back of his head as he thought hard. "Jeez, I was always doing things to tick people off."

"Don't play dumb!" Duvall cried, "This happened just recently!" He cocked one of his harpoon guns and started to unload his entire barrel at them.

"Look out!" Usopp shouted, "Get down!"

"Don't…harm...our...ship!" Nana roared as she ran in between Usopp and Nami. She lifted her hand up in the air, "Nana Special! Repel Shield!"

The harpoons coming at her bounced away in the air as if hitting an invisible roof a foot above their heads. They fell back to the sea while the other harpoons came flying towards the rest of the Straw Hats. Sanji kicked away the harpoons coming towards him and Chopper, while Franky, Pygmy, and Robin dodged out of the way.

"That jerk," Sanji snarled, "I just can't remember him. Who the heck are you?'

"Nanaaaaaa!" Usopp screeched as he grabbed onto Nana's leg, "Can't we use the big magnetic shield to block off all the incoming harpoons?"

"It's only at the front and back of the ship, remember?" Nana said through gritted teeth as she kept her metal glove ready for the next wave of attack, "If I could just turn the ship, we would be able to avoid these harpoons altogether."

Duvall reloaded his harpoon and fired another round.

"God damn it," Nana yelled as she ran to the edge of the ship as she grabbed her hammer, "This guy is persistent. Nana Special! Curly Blow!"

The jet of steam came spiraling out of her hammer and hitting away the incoming harpoons. They were sent flying back towards the base with Zoro and Brook quickly cutting them away.

"Oy! Nana! Watch it!" Zoro seethed.

"Ahhhhh!" Luffy suddenly screamed as he ran out and kicked Duvall hard in the head. His metal helmet came crashing down on the ground, revealing his face.

Nana's jaw dropped to the ground and her eyes widened so much she could feel the strain in the back of her head. "No...fucking...way…"

"Oh...my…" Robin said softly.

Franky immediately started to weep. "Oh, what a tragedy!"

"I swore to myself that I would kill you…" Duval growled as he reached into his pocket. He slowly unfurled it to show Sanji's wanted poster, "I took to the seas to find you but searching for you was a nightmare. After all, you don't resemble your wanted poster...It's pretty brilliant of you to do that so you would avoid detection. Marines and bounty hunters would walk right past you...but have you ever wondered what happened when they did find the person in this picture?"

He held the poster right up to his face and sure enough, his face matched Nana's drawing right down to the black soulless eyes to the catpaw shaped nose. _Oh no! Sanji's getting the blame for something I did?!_

"Give me a break!" Sanji screamed with fire in his eyes.

"Did you ever think about the hell they put the person through?" Duvall cried angrily, "THE HELL THAT YOU PUT _ME_ THROUGH?! Curse you, 'Black Leg' Sanji! I will make you pay."

"IT WAAAAAAASSSS MEEEEEEEE!"

A silence fell over the entire base as Nana's cry echoed through the air. Everyone stopped in their tracks as the mechanic scrambled up the ratline so she could be at higher ground. "It was me!" she called out, "I was the one who drew it! It's a long story...The sketch was with Lulu and it must have fallen out of his pocket when he was at Enies Lobby...But anyways, it was me! If you have anyone to be mad at, be mad at me! I'm the one who drew it. Don't blame Sanji!"

"Wow, Nana-brat…" Franky whistled, "You're a terrible artist."

"Ha! Love cook, that's what she thinks you look like," Zoro scoffed from the dock.

"I don't know what is more amazing...How terrible Nana can draw or how there is someone in this world that actually matches her drawing..." Chopper added.

Duvall gaped at her for a moment, letting her words sink in. "What?" Duvall roared, "Do you know how much hell you caused? It was terrifying when I suddenly had people after my life one day! Why? What have I done for Navy Headquarters to come after me? Why are famous bounty hunters coming after me? All because of your stupid, reckless drawing!"

Nana winced. "I really didn't mean for this to happen. I didn't even give the drawing to the government. They found it on their own!"

"Excuses!" Duvall cried as he aimed his weapon at Nana, "It is your time to die!"

Sanji leapt out of the water and ran towards Duvall. Nana was so caught up in the situation that she didn't even notice when he had jumped off the Sunny to swim over.

"This…" Sanji yelled as he kicked Duvall hard in the face, "Is not our problem!"

Blood came pouring out Duvall's nose. He hurriedly wiped it off and glared down at Sanji from his bull. "How could you say that?! Both of you are solely to blame for this mess!"

"Stuff it!" Sanji thundered, "I'm already seriously pissed off about that wanted poster, even though it was made by the delicate hands of Nana-chan!"

"Aren't they spitting images of each other?," Hatchi commented.

"Mirror images," Zoro said with a smirk, "Nana, I think I might commission you to do an oil painting of the love cook and we can hang it in the dining area."

"Yohohohohohoho!" Brook cackled as he fell onto his knees, dying with laughter.

"Brook!" Sanji seethed, "I will deal with you later and shut up, you shitty morimo!"

He pointed accusingly at Duvall, "And you! If you don't want to resemble the wanted poster, you could've made some simple changes. You could've changed your hair or shaved!"

"Oh yeah…" Duvall said as he lowered his weapon, "I never thought of that."

"What kind of idiot are you?!" Sanji shouted.

"He may be stupid," Nana said as she looked pityingly at Duvall, "But...he does look like my drawing."

"Nana-chan, don't you waste your time with this one!" Sanji yelled, "Don't let him get into your sympathetic heart. He's just an idiot!"

"I'm not an idiot!" Duvall snapped, "It's both your fault that my life is in shambles but it's mostly yours, 'Black Leg' Sanji, for even existing! I'll chase you to the ends of hell. If you don't like it, kill me here and now!"

Instantly, Sanji jumped onto the bull's head and grabbed Duvall by the throat. "You bastard. Why the hell did Nana-chan, Nami-san, and Robin-chan have to get dragged into your lame attempt on blaming me?!"

"That ship is the reason you made your name as a pirate so naturally I hate every one of the crew members," Duvall said as he forced Sanji back and whipped out his harpoon gun, "All of you can go to hell!"

"Sanji!" Nana gasped as Sanji ducked out of the way.

"Form parties!" Duvall ordered to his crew.

Suddenly, a large group of Flying Fish Riders came shooting out from the sea and they circled the ship in the sky.

"Prepare to get skewered, 'Black Leg' Sanji!" one of the men shouted as he threw a harpoon down at the cook.

Sanji jumped into the air and kicked the man hard in the face. Without warning, two Flying Fish Riders flanked his sides and pulled a net over him, dragging him towards the sea. Sanji pulled against the net and Nana's eyes widened when she heard the sound of metal beneath his hands. "It's a steel net!" she gasped as she hurriedly aimed her glove at him. "Nana Spe-"

The cook crashed into the water at breakneck speed along with the two Flying Fish Riders before Nana could power up her magnet. "Sanji!" Nana cried and leapt onto the railing but Franky quickly pulled her back.

_I didn't make it! I didn't save him?!_

"Don't go, Nana-brat! You can't swim! What good could you do?" Franky lectured.

There was a roaring in her ears and she could taste the bile coming up from her stomach as Franky's question rang in her mind. _What good could I do?_

"Don't you worry," Camie cried from the docks, "I'll go get him."

Nana's eyes snapped towards the mermaid and watched numbingly as the mermaid jumped into the water and swam after the cook. She felt like someone had stabbed all of her internal organs at once.

"Camie?" Usopp gasped, "Can she get to them in time?"

"No one can swim faster than a mermaid," Pappagu exclaimed proudly.

"Camie! I'm leaving Sanji to you!" Luffy shouted excitedly into the sea.

 _Leaving...Sanji...to her…_ Nana couldn't do anything except stare at the area where Camie had dove in.

Without warning, another group of Flying Fish Riders came soaring out, pulling a giant ship's anchor beneath them. They flew towards the Thousand Sunny so that the giant anchor was positioned right above the center of the ship.

"Nana-brat! That'll sink us with just one hit," Franky growled as he shook her by the shoulders, "I need you to forget about Curly Cook for a second and help. Can you do that? Nana-brat! We're going to die if you don't snap out of it!"

That slapped some sense into the mechanic. Nana gulped and she nodded her head. Now was not the time for a pity party. "What do you need?"

"Good! Usopp! Go towards the bow. Nana-brat will tell you what to do," Franky ordered as he sat in front of the steering wheel.

"Inside the bow?" Usopp asked as Nana went ahead.

She stood by the bow and waited for Franky, "Ready when you are."

Franky smirked and pulled a lever beside the wheel. "Emergency Retreat! Secret Weapon: Chicken Voyage!"

The mane of the Thousand Sunny started to spin like a fan and the ship shot backwards just as the anchor smashed into the sea in front of them. "What?!" the Flying Fish Riders yelled, "It went backwards?!"

"Now! Nana-brat!" Franky shouted.

Nana pulled down the white stairs at the bow to reveal a secret room right behind the mast head. The room was filled with gauges, metal pipes, levers, and most importantly, a seat with a targeting screen in front of it.

"What?! I didn't even know that was there!" Usopp exclaimed as Nana ran in and pulled some levers.

"Get into the seat," she ordered.

Outside, the mouth of the Thousand Sunny opened to reveal a giant cannon and the cola barrel inside the ship began to churn. Nana leaned over the steam gauge right next to Usopp and she waited for the arrow to go into the red zone.

"Fully charged!" she reported to Franky before turning to Usopp and pointing at the circular screen in front of him. "Fit as many of the Flying Fish Riders as you can inside this inner circle. Adjust the distance and angle by twisting the handles on the sides here. Once you're ready, use the button on the left handle to lock on and then pull the lever."

"Roger!" Usopp stated as he aimed the cannon. He locked onto his target and the screen turned red. The cannon began to power up.

"Gaon Cannon…" Franky and Nana shouted.

"Fire!" Usopp cried as he pulled the lever.

A large blast of light and highly condensed air pressure shot through the base. Everything either was blown to bits or left flying backwards.

Franky laughed triumphantly. "What'd you think of the Sunny's true power?"

Nana patted Usopp on the back. "Great aim, Usopp-sama," she said grimly as she climbed out of the bow, "Did Camie come back yet?"

As if on cue, they heard the mermaid shout from the side of the ship. "Guys, we've got trouble! Sanji-chin is bleeding bad!"

"What?!" Nami, Nana, and Chopper rushed to the railing to get a better look.

"Did they beat him up?!" Chopper asked.

"I thought I saved him," Camie exclaimed tearfully as she clutched Sanji to her bosom, "But then blood exploded from his nose."

"Exploded…" Usopp said.

"From his…" Nami continued.

"Nose," Nana finished softly. She gazed at the scene before her. Camie, floating in the water, with Sanji in her arms as he held onto her just as tightly.

"Forget it. If he dies, so be it," Usopp sighed.

"Why not? He seems happy enough," Nami added.

They both waited for Nana to say something but were caught off guard when the mechanic turned and left without a word. "Nana?" Nami called after her, "Aren't you going to comment on what an idiot Sanji is being?"

Nana turned and grinned back with a forced smile at her nakama. "Why ruin his fun?" she asked as she went over to Pygmy and leapt onto his back. She murmured into the dog's ear and they jumped over the railing into the sea below. They swam up to the base and as soon as they climbed up to the dock, Pygmy sprinted towards Brook.

"Ahhh!" the skeleton screamed as the dog leapt onto his chest and started to lick his skull.

"No, Pygmy! We do not lick our nakama," Nana said sternly as she tried to pull her dog back, "Sorry, Brook. If it's any consolation, I think he does it because he really likes you."

"I would rather he express it in another way, Nana-san," Brook replied politely.

"Everyone okay?" Nana asked as she spotted Hatchi climbing out of a pile of debris with Pappagu in his hands.

"Ah," Zoro said as he sat down.

"Damn it…"

They all turned to watch Duvall walk out from under a collapsed house. He was still on top of his bull. "Can't believe that bastard managed to survive."

"We've cut your numbers big time, didn't we?" Luffy commented.

Duvall turned his anger on the rubber man. "Curse you! Let me tell you about my fearsome Motobalo! Leading up to today, many men have fallen from the wrath of his horns. People call him 'Heart-Crushing Horns'!"

Luffy hit his fists together. "Yosh. I'll stop him."

Duvall gritted his teeth and charged forward. "Go! Motobalo!"

"You don't stand a chance against me!" Luffy shouted as he pushed his hand out and stopped the bull in it's tracks.

He glared into the bull's eyes and then the bull began to act rather odd. It started to sweat and back away from the rubber man nervously. It bucked and jumped out of the way, throwing Duvall off his back, and then he collapsed on his side.

"Luffy…" Nana gasped, "What did you do?"

"I didn't do a thing," Luffy said with just as much of a confused look as everyone else.

"Did...Luffy-san scare the bull?" Brook guessed.

"A bull passing out because of intimidation? Is that possible?" Nana wondered.

Duvall's eyes fell on Nana and he glared at her. "Curse you! You're just as much to blame as 'Black Leg' Sanji!"

Nana lifted her hammer. "Bring it...on…" she said, matching the intensity of his glare.

"Wait...Nana-chan…This is my fight."

Sanji pulled himself out of the water and he calmly walked down the dock but Nana just couldn't bring herself to look at him.

"Sanji!" Luffy cheered, "I'm glad you're alright."

"I'll finish things with this finger-pointing idiot...So leave it to me," Sanji said solemnly.

"'Black Leg'," Duvall seethed as he aimed his weapon at the cook, "As long as you continue to live as a pirate, I will never get to see another peaceful day! I'm sick of getting blamed for things I've never done!"

"Shut up!" Sanji snapped, "You shouldn't blame others for stuff you could control yourself. You shouldn't even have a face like that!"

He kicked his leg up. "Oiel! Nez! Joue! Bouche! Dents!" With each cry, he kicked a different part of Duvall's face, "Menton! Parage...Shot!" He unleashed an unfathomable amount of kicks to Duvall's face and sent the man skidding into a pile of debris on the other side of the dock.

Sanji landed back on the ground and took a deep drag of his cigarette. "Yosh...I believe we can go now." He turned to Nana and extended a hand out to her, "Shall we go back, Nana-chan? I can carry you back since you-"

"Can't swim. I know," Nana interrupted tersely. She avoided his gaze and climbed back onto Pygmy's back. "I've got Pyg."

Sanji looked at the angel curiously. Something was bothering her but he couldn't tell if she was angry or sad. Did something happen when he was underwater?


	45. What is Love?

The brat disappeared as soon as everyone boarded the Thousand Sunny and left the Flying Fish Hideout. She was not with them when they headed off to get Hatchi's takoyaki ship. She was not with them when they anchored the Thousand Sunny so that Hatchi could attach his takoyaki ship to the side.

Franky crossed his arms and frowned. If memory served him correctly, the brat very much enjoyed takoyaki...So where was she? And come to think of it...where was the dog?

Franky decided to go through the process of elimination and go from the bottom up. He headed straight for her room first and was surprised to see that she wasn't there. He then went to the energy room, thinking maybe she was just doing a routine maintenance check. She wasn't in there either.

He then went into the docking room and, of course, the brat wasn't there. There was no need for her to be. He was just about to turn to leave when he heard a splashing sound coming from Dock #1. He raised an eyebrow and slowly pulled up the gate. His eyes widened when he saw that the brat was floating in the middle of the water and clinging onto the back of her dog wearing only her bra and underwear. The hobby horse waver had been pulled out of the water with her clothes draped over it.

"Nana-brat. What the hell are you-"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Nana snapped in frustration, "I'm trying to swim."

She let go and flung herself into the water again only to start flailing about before sinking to the bottom. Her dog quickly dove down and pulled her up as she coughed up the sea water. "God damn it. God damn it. God damn it!"

She climbed back onto the dog and Franky couldn't tell if she was shivering from the cold or from fright. Franky silently stepped fully into the dock and closed the door behind him. There was no need for anyone else to find them. Not now, at least. He sat cross legged at the edge of the platform and he studied her silently.

She glared at him. "Well?"

"Well, what?"

"Aren't you going to ask why I have the sudden urge to learn how to swim?" she demanded.

"Are you going to tell me?" Franky shot back.

She fell silent as her and Pygmy floated in the water.

Franky sighed and he put his sunglasses onto his head so he could have a heart to heart with the brat. "Listen, Nana-brat. I understand that you're upset that you couldn't save Curly Cook but-'

"I wasn't good enough," Nana said softly with her eyes on the water. She lowered her head and rested it against the back of Pygmy's head. She could feel the hot tears start to fall down her cheek and she prayed Franky would think it was the water, "That's all there is to it. I wasn't good enough."

Franky winced as he recalled his words to the brat when she tried to jump in after Curly Cook. " _What good could you do?"_

"Ow, Nana-brat, if you're upset about what I said back then, I-"

"No...you were right," Nana replied with a sad smile, "How could I save him if I don't even know how to swim myself?"

She scoffed at herself. "God. Part of me realizes how pitiful I'm being and it's just making me feel that much worse." She took a deep breath and wiped the water from her face, "What's worse is that I even knew this was going to happen. We've even talked about it before."

"That what was going to happen?" Franky asked.

"That he was going to move on," Nana stated and let out a mirthless laugh. "You know, earlier today I wondered why I was jealous towards Camie but never towards Nami or even Robin...but as soon as I saw Camie bring him up from the water I knew...It's because even though he flirts and dotes on Nami and Robin, underneath it all, they are still just his nakama...but Camie...She's...What did he call it? 'Mankind's lifelong fantasy'?"

Nana looked over at the cyborg. "I may be his metaphorical angel but she is a bonafide mermaid! How could I compete with a fantasy come to life? She's everything he could ask for plus the added factor that she constantly needs someone to save her. She's the ultimate damsel in distress!"

She scoffed again. "But then what do you know? He falls into the water and no one else can save him except the mermaid! Talk about the perfect woman ..."

She shook her head exasperatedly at the situation. "Of course, he's going to choose her. Are you surprised? Because I'm not. I'm not surprised by any of it. I knew this was going to happen...and yet...and yet…"

Her voice broke and she bit her lip. She ducked her head and stared at the back of Pygmy's neck.

"Yet part of you hoped he would prove you wrong?" Franky finished for her.

"Isn't that stupid of me?" Nana asked softly, "Don't you think I'm being fucking ridiculous? I didn't even realize I had that part of me until just now."

Franky scooted himself closer so he sat at the edge of the dock with his legs in the water. "Nana-brat...I'm going to ask you something and I want you to answer truthfully but then we'll never speak of it again, okay? We'll leave it here. Just tell your Big Bro...No one else needs to know."

Nana nodded with her head still lowered. Franky reached over and with one finger, he lifted her chin up so she could look him in the eyes. "Are you falling for the Curly Cook?"

Nana's eyes refilled with tears. "I think I am," she whimpered and the tears started to pour over her face, "But I really don't want to be."

Franky sighed and pulled her off of her dog to hug her tightly to his chest as she continued to cry. "I finally get it," Nana choked, "When they say love is a hurricane. You can prepare for it all you want but when it comes through, you can't avoid it."

"Just let it out, brat," Franky sighed, "Just let it out."

They sat there for a long time as Nana vented all of her frustrations and hurt. When she was finally done, her hair had already dried.

"Alright, Nana-brat," Franky said gently as he got to his feet, "I'm going to go upstairs before people realize something's wrong. I'll tell them that you're tinkering with the Shark Submerge so just take your time down here. Don't come up until you're ready, okay?"

"Okay," Nana said quietly, "Thanks, Big Bro."

Franky grinned and gave her a thumbs up sign, "You're going to be super again in no time, Nana-brat. You'll see."

She didn't answer and she sat quietly with Pygmy at the edge of the dock while Franky lifted the gate and stepped out. He closed the gate and then walked past the cook, who had been smoking quietly right outside the dock and in the middle of putting out his cigarette.

"You heard?" Franky murmured.

The cook said nothing but he nodded while he dropped his cigarette into the middle of a half filled can.

"Good," Franky said as he patted the cook on the back, "Then go fix it."

* * *

Sanji had lit his first cigarette in the docking room when he saw Franky shut the gate behind him.

He had lit his second cigarette when the angel was berating herself for not being able to swim after him when the Flying Fish Riders had caught him.

He had lit his third cigarette after dropping his second cigarette when he heard the angel say that she was jealous of the mermaid.

He had accidentally crushed his fourth cigarette before lighting it when he heard the angel's voice break with sadness.

He couldn't breathe, let alone smoke from his fifth cigarette, when Franky asked the angel if she loved him.

And then he had almost lost the will to live when he heard her answer.

He had squatted to the ground and buried his head between his knees. His wrist hung limply in the air with the cigarette dangling between his two fingers. How big of an idiot was he that he inflicted so much pain in the angel and didn't even realize it?

He had listened to her cry while his cigarette burned up between his fingers. He wanted to go in and comfort her but he didn't know what to do or what to say. He thought by continuously telling her that he loved her, she would eventually believe him but it was clear that plan had backfired. The words were empty and meaningless.

He had lit a new cigarette when he realized the one he was holding was done. He took a deep drag and stood slowly back up as he leaned against the door frame. He had always said love was a hurricane and he never expected it to be a walk in the park but he had underestimated the damage that love could do. He put a hand over his eyes while putting the cigarette back to his lips.

Now the cyborg has told him to fix it. What a stupid request. If he knew how to fix it, wouldn't he have done so already? How was he supposed to prove his love to someone who didn't want to be in love with him? How was he supposed to show her how much he loved her?

He rubbed his eyes in frustration and then reached into his pocket to light a new smoke. He fitted the cigarette between his lips and then began to flick the lighter to ignite his vice. His eyes fell on the lighter in his hands and his eyes widened. He put both the cigarette and lighter back in his pocket and ran after the cyborg. "Oy, Franky! I need a favor!"

* * *

"Ah! Nana! Where have you been? Try some takoyaki!" Luffy shouted from Hatchi's ship when Nana and Pygmy emerged onto the lawn deck awhile later, "It's delicious!"

"I was...fixing up the Shark Submerge," Nana replied, "Didn't Franky tell you?"

Nana's eyes fell on Hatchi and Camie, who stood behind his stove, flipping the little balls and dousing them in sauce before plating them and handing it to Luffy, Usopp, Chopper, Zoro, and Brook. They were eating the food as fast as they were being served. Even Nami, who sat with Robin by the mast, was eating the food and getting sauce all over her face. She was a little relieved and surprised that Sanji was nowhere to be found. She'd have figured he'd be hovering around the mermaid.

"Nana-chin!" Camie exclaimed excitedly as Pappagu brought up a tray of takoyaki, "Please try some!"

Pygmy growled a little at the fishy folk but Nana gave him a slight nudge with her foot and he sat down obediently. Nana took the tray from the starfish and she smiled softly back.

"Thanks," she said as she popped one into her mouth. It was piping hot and she opened her mouth to let it cool before sinking her teeth into it. The sauce was rich and the texture was perfect. Not too gummy but not too soft. "Wow, Hatchi...this is really good."

"Keep eating! Keep going! It's on the house today!" Hatchi cheered.

Nana sat down next to Robin and Nami and she looked curiously at Nami, who was eating up the octopus balls happily. "Nami, are you...okay? I mean with Hatchi and...everything..."

Nami grinned back without a hint of sadness. "Why wouldn't I be? The takoyaki is delicious, isn't it?"

Nana blinked back in awe at the navigator's attitude and a relieved smile spread across her own face as she popped another takoyaki into her mouth. "Yah, it is."

"Ow, Nana-brat!"

Nana turned to see Franky waving her over from the aft of the ship and she curiously went over to him with her plate of takoyaki. "What's up?"

"Can you go get me your wrench?" he asked.

Nana raised an eyebrow. "My...wrench? What happened to yours?"

"It broke," Franky said flatly, "So I need to use yours. Can you go get it?"

Nana narrowed her eyes and she looked at him skeptically. "You know where it is...Why can't you go get it?"

Franky folded his arms across his chest, "I know better than to touch your stuff. Now go get it, Nana-brat."

"Okay…If you say so," Nana said in disbelief and then handed him her plate of takoyaki before walking off.

"Wait! The dog stays," Franky said as he grabbed Pygmy. Both the dog and its owner looked curiousy back at the cyborg. The cyborg cradled the dog in his arms as if it was a baby and not the size of a small pony. "I just...super want to cuddle with it right now!"

"What is wrong with you?" Nana scoffed but still headed towards her room.

She could hear the sound of light tinkering before she even got to her door. She wasn't sure what to expect to see but she certainly didn't expect to find Sanji, sitting on the floor, in front of the furnace with his back turned to her. He was hunched over with his head bowed low so Nana couldn't see what he was doing. His suit jacket was draped over her anvil and his shirt sleeves were rolled up.

"Come on, you jerk, just bend already!" she heard him mutter.

She took one step towards him and the floorboards creaked under her foot.

"Oy, Franky," he scowled without looking up from whatever he was working on, "Took you long enough. Did you find the alloy spray to set the gears together?"

Nana raised an eyebrow. "An alloy spray is only used for aesthetic purposes...It's not for binding," she stated slowly.

Sanji leapt to his feet with his hands clasped to his back as a pair of pliers dropped to the floor. "Nana-chan!" he gasped, "What are you doing down here?"

"I think you and I both got lied to by Franky," Nana said as she folded her arms in front of her chest, "The question is what are you doing in my room?"

"That jerk," Sanji cursed as his hand gripped something tightly, "I told him I wasn't going to give this to you until it was ready. I don't even have a speech prepared."

"Give me what?" Nana asked. With him facing her, she got a good look at his disheveled state. His tie was loosened and his shirt was unbuttoned at the top. There was a small amounts of sweat on his forehead. _What was he up to?_

"I'm an idiot. The world's biggest idiot," Sanji said, "I got carried away with my own fantasies that I forgot that my reality was so much better."

Sanji took a deep breath and he looked at her. "Nana-chan...I know I've told you time and time again that I love you but it's clear that words are not enough. You even said it wouldn't be and...you are right."

He ran a hand through his hair and looked nervously at Nana. She wasn't sure what to say and she stood in disbelief as the cook took a step closer to her and continued to talk. "There are not enough words to describe what you mean to me so I decided to put it in a language that we both could understand."

He reached for her hands and he held them tightly in front of him. "You once said that you loved my hands...that they were the hands of craftsman. So I've used them to convey how I feel about you...and only you."

Nana's eyes widen when she felt him put something in the palm of her hand. He turned her hand over and she opened it slowly. It was a small metal pendant made out of small gears that were welded on top of each other into a shape of a heart. It was almost done except for the border of the pendant. A thin steel band was bent to form one half of the heart but the other half stuck straight out.

She noticed that his fingers also had some minor burns and cuts on them from the metal work and her eyes widened. He had endangered his prized hands, the ones he had always protected even in battle, just so he could make something for her...and only her.

"Your hands!" she gasped.

"It's fine," Sanji replied hurriedly, "But how do you like the necklace? You walked in before I could finish it, Nana-chan, but if there's any changes you want-"

Nana closed her fist around the pendant, wrapped her arms around Sanji's neck, and kissed him. "You idiot," she muttered with her lips still on his, "A cook's hands are his life. What would you do if you hurt them?"

This time, the cook recovered faster from her surprise kiss and he kissed her back passionately. "I'd rather damage them than to hurt you," he growled back.

Sanji's arm slipped around her waist and he lifted her up into the air as his lips moved over hers. She could feel the stubble on his chin lightly graze over her skin as his mouth covered hers over and over again. His grip was strong yet gentle at the same time. She felt so safe and comfortable that she never wanted to leave.

Sanji wanted to devour her. The angel's lips were salty and she smelled like the sea. It surprised the cook, yet he found it very fitting. Yes, if he had to categorize the flavors of his female nakama, Nami-san would be tart with a hint of sweetness, just like her tangerines, Robin-chan would be sweet and refined, like a well-crafted petit four, and Nana-chan would be savory, hands down. She was salt, the most simple but vital ingredient. She brought out the flavor of life. _Yes,_ he thought, _What a perfect way representation. How could a cook not have his salt?_

"I love you," he murmured every time their lips separated, "I love you."

"I love you too," she finally whispered back.

When he finally set her back on the floor and ended the kiss, he kept his arms around her and he kissed her gently on the forehead while she looked at the pendant in her hand. "Let's finish this together…" she offered quietly.

"Yes, Nana-chan," he said.

She looked up at him. "Before that...could you do something for me?"

"Anything for you, my angel," he replied.

"Could you call me 'Nana'? No 'chan'...no 'san'…Just Nana," she asked.

He blinked back at her. "Why?"

She smiled at him. "I want to you to see me as your equal. I just...want to be Nana. Your Nana."

"As you wish, _my_ Nana," he murmured softly as he placed a kiss on her lips, her cheek, and then her forehead.

She stepped out of his hold and silently led him to her drafting desk. She sat him down in her chair and she put the pendant back in his hands. She then grabbed another plier from her peg board and she handed it to him. She stood behind the chair and then reached around his shoulders to cover his hands with hers.

"Now let's do this together," she grinned against his ear, as she showed him the trick to moving the pliers to shape the metal properly. As they worked on finishing the pendant, they both were silent. Only their hands moved but they moved together as one. The mechanic taking great care of the cook's hands while the cook focused on the mechanic's heart.

When it was done, Nana held the pendant close to her skin as Sanji tied the leather cord around her neck, finishing it with a kiss to the back of her head. The pendant was made up of loose metal gears that had been lying around Nana's toolbox...but to her, it was invaluable. There were small dents and scratches on it that the cook had accidentally left...but to her, it was flawless. To others, it might not be something special, but to her it was precious.

And Nana knew that how she felt about the necklace was exactly how Sanji felt about her. The cook was right. This was the language that they both could understand.


	46. Flight & Bubbles

When Sanji and Nana came back to the deck, no one seemed to react to them holding hands. They all seemed to have taken it all in stride and Nana figured that some of them already knew this was bound to happen one day.

What the lovers didn't realize was that while they were in Nana's room, the cyborg was with his nakama, crying like a fool.

* * *

_\- Flashback 1 hour earlier-_

"Ahhhh!" Franky sobbed into Pygmy's neck, "Children grow up so fast! One day they're trying to dent your head in with a wrench and then the next day they're falling in love."

"Nana tried to do what?!" Usopp asked.

"And the Curly Cook!" Franky continued to wail, "I knew as a fellow pervert that he was a good guy but I didn't realize how cool he was. He's super and he's going to make the brat so happy!"

Zoro scowled as he stuffed a takoyaki into his mouth and gnashed his teeth with annoyance. "I like Nana and all but this means that Curly Brow is going to get more obnoxious. I just know it."

"Ah! To be young and in love," Franky blubbered, "I'm so happy for the brat!"

Luffy paused in the middle of consuming a mountain of octopus balls and he glanced over at the cyborg. "Eh? What's going on with Franky? Did he have a bad takoyaki?"

"Did something happen to Nana and Sanji?" Chopper asked with a tilt of his head.

Nami and Usopp swapped a look of puzzlement. "How do we explain this?" Nami hissed to Usopp.

Usopp raised his arms in the air and shook his head in defeat. "You can't. These two kids won't understand those kind of things."

They both turned to Robin, who smiled gently at her captain. "It seems Cook-san and Weaponsmith are in love. We should probably have Cook-san move into the Weaponsmith's room so they can be together."

"Oh, okay," Luffy said as he shoved so much takoyaki into his mouth that his cheeks began to resemble large walnut shells, "I hope they don't plan on getting married. I don't want them to leave the crew."

Robin chuckled. "I don't think either of them would want to leave."

Chopper let out a small breath of relief and returned to his takoyaki. "Okay. I thought something bad happened to them. As long as nothing's wrong."

"What?! That easy?!" Usopp and Nami screeched.

"It's best to keep it simple for our captain," Robin replied.

"Ah! Sanji-chin and Nana-chin are in love?" Camie cried, "Oh! That is so wonderful. I hope that one day I can find love too!"

"That day will definitely come, Camie," Hatchi said with a smile, "You are a wonderful girl and any man would be lucky to have you."

Only Robin seemed to notice how red the mermaid's face had turned when the octopus paid her that compliment and the historian decided to keep it to herself.

"Yohohoho! When they join us, I will play them a song of celebration," Brook cheered as he picked up his violin, "Oh. My heart feels full just thinking about their love for one another. Ah! Although, I have no heart. Yohohoho!"

"No!" Nami ordered, "No one do anything special when they arrive. Sanji-kun might not mind but I'm sure Nana would feel uncomfortable if we suddenly gave her any special attention because of it. So Brook, put away your violin, and Franky, pull yourself together!"

"Yes, ma'am," Franky and Brook grumbled back.

* * *

"Nwwwanwwwwaaaaa! Do you want a miso or a glutinous rice takoyaki?" Sanji sang sweetly as he took the trays of takoyaki from Camie and brought it over to Nana.

"Miso," Nana chose.

Sanji speared one of the miso takoyaki with a small fork and held it out for Nana. "Here, Nwanwa. Let me feed it to you. Say 'Ahhhhh'!"

Nana laughed and took the fork out of his hands. "Don't be sappy."

"Seriously," Zoro grumbled as he devoured his takoyaki, "You're ruining my appetite, love cook."

"Ah, not even you can spoil my mood, you shitty morimo," Sanji sighed as he twirled around the lawn deck, "And I really do feel like a love cook today. Nami-swan! Robin-chwan! Do you guys want any more takoyaki?"

"What a wonderful necklace you're wearing, Weaponsmith," Robin said with a grin as she rested her chin against her hand, "Did you make it yourself?"

Nana almost choked on he food and she could feel a blush rise to her cheeks. "No..." she coughed, "Not entirely."

"Oh? Who made it then?" Robin asked, even though Nana had no doubt the cunning woman already knew the answer to her question.

"Young Master!"

_Whew! Saved by...whoever that is._

They all looked out over the sea to spot whoever it was that was calling out.

"Young Master! Wait, wait! You can't go without saying goodbye!" the voice called out.

"Moooof mif maaaf?" Luffy demanded with a mouthful of takoyaki.

Usopp instantly punched him in the head to make him spit out the food. "Don't talk with your mouthful!"

"I believe Luffy-san just asked 'Who is that'," Brook patiently translated as he let out a fart.

"Your eating habits are disgusting," Nami said disdainfully as she wrinkled her nose at the men.

Nana walked over to the railing and she looked out. The Flying Fish Riders were coming to them with Duvall at the front. Or at least, Nana thought it was Duvall. His body shape was Duvall and he was riding on his bull but his face was entirely different. She put her hands on her hips and she frowned. "I think it's the Flying Fish Riders...but...I don't know what that guy is."

"It's Duvall, Nana," Sanji grumbled as he hooked his arm around her waist to bring her back to her seat so he could continue doting on her, "Just ignore him. I changed his bone structure. He has no right to come griping to us anymore."

"You could change someone's bone structure?!" Nana asked, not minding getting pulled away by Sanji in the slightest, "You should go into the facial reconstruction business. You could make a fortune."

"Eh?!" Nami gasped, "That's not a bad idea! We could make so much money off of you, Sanji-kun!"

"Really, Master 'Black Leg'!" Duvall sang as he pulled up to the ship on his motorized bull, "You went nuts kicking my face. When I regained consciousness, we were struck speechless!"

He held up a hand mirror to admire his own reflection. "You've turned me into such a handsome stud, I'm enamored with myself! The ladies won't be able to keep their hands off of me. Truly, you've given me a rosy life!"

"Sanji," Nana muttered under her breath, "I think you created a monster…"

"No, monsters are dangerous. He's just a harmless idiot," Sanji replied.

Duvall laughed to himself, unaware of Nana and Sanji's criticism, "I can't wait to return to my life in the countryside but it'd leave a bad taste in my mouth if I went home without repaying my savior. Aren't you new to these waters? If there is anything we could do to help, please feel free to…"

Duvall's face began to twitch and his jaw went slack as he forcibly winked at the crew. "To...ask…," he grunted.

"If you're not used to winking than don't do it," Sanji lectured, "But...I'm glad you're happy with your new face. My only request is that you never let me see that face again."

"Ah, look at me…" Duvall sighed as he gazed into his hand mirror.

"Are you even listening to me?!" Sanji roared.

"Huh? I'm handsome?" Duvall asked.

"I never said anything like that," Sanji seethed.

"Actually! There is something you can do," Nana said as she sat up a little straighter and called to Duvall, "Can I ride around on a Flying Fish just a for a little while?"

"Oooh! Me too! Me too!" Luffy shouted.

Duvall looked down at Nana from his steed and he smiled radiantly at her. "Oh, pretty lady...You wish to ride off into the sunset with me?"

Nana was incredulous. "What?! Of course not. I don't care about your stupid cow. I want to see the Flying Fish."

"Wow, his delusions of grandeur are insane," Usopp commented, "He may be handsome...but he's still pretty stupid."

Duvall was hurt for a second and then he smiled. "Jealous?" he asked the sniper.

"Of course not!" Usopp sputtered as Nana hurriedly held the sniper back from attacking the man.

"Don't do it, Usopp-sama. He's not worth your time!" Nana hissed as Usopp strained against her hold.

"I'm sorry, pretty lady," Duvall said with a shake of his head, "Only members of the Rosy Life Riders can ride our Flying Fish."

"Then let me be an honorary member of the Rosy Life Riders!" Nana insisted and then she looked hurriedly at Luffy, "I mean...if that's okay with you, Luffy."

"Give us a fish!" Luffy demanded and Nana let out a snort of laughter.

"What? You want to join me?" Duvall gasped, "You want to be my girlfriend? Oh, how forward!'

"You jerk!" Sanji shouted as Franky held him back, "Nana did not say any of those things. Now let her ride a damn fish before I cook it for dinner!'

"Fine, fine," Duvall sighed, "I guess I can make an exception for a pretty lady. Rosy Life Riders, lend her a Flying Fish!"

"Yes, Handsome!" his men chorused back as they shuffled around to free one up for Nana.

"Wow...he even changed his name?" Nana couldn't help but marvel at the man's unabashed behavior as she climbed onto the fish while Luffy hopped impatiently by the railings.

"Nana, don't take too long," the rubber man huffed, "I want a turn too."

"Nana, be careful," Sanji warned, "Remember they can only stay in the air for five minutes."

"Don't worry," Nana said with a grin, "I'm a quick study."

She situated herself on the seat and fitted her goggles over her eyes. She gripped the handles and flexed the bars under her fingers to check the elasticity. Her feet shifted over the pedals as she tested them out. She then leaned over so that the fish could see her face. She grinned at it. "Show me what you got!"

They zoomed off the water and into the sky. The wind whipped Nana's hair back as she pushed down on the pedal to accelerate the speed. "Woohoo!" she cheered. They swooped up and then came gliding back down as Nana kept an attentive ear on the sounds the flying fish was making.

Even though it was a fish, there was definitely a motorized component to it and Nana was eager to figure out what exactly it was. She turned it left and right, up and down. Then she grinned and began to test it's aerobatics.

From below, the Straw Hats watched wide-eyed as their mechanic rolled and spun on the Flying Fish. With each stunt, the rubber man got more and more anxious for his turn. "Oy! Nana! It's my turn! You've had it for too long!" he screamed.

Franky's eyes widened as he realized the captain was right. "Ow! Nana-brat! It's been over five minutes. You need to-"

The Flying Fish nose dived down toward the water and the Straw Hats gasped. "Nana!" they cried.

Both Sanji and Franky both climbed onto the railing and were about to jump in when Zoro quickly grabbed them back. "Look," he growled.

The Flying Fish leveled off just a centimeter above the surface of the sea water and it came skidding back towards the Thousand Sunny, swerving to it's side and coming to a complete stop just in front of the takoyaki ship in a display of perfect parallel parking.

Nana put her goggles back on her head and she grinned back at her stunned nakama. "Did you know," she asked Franky, "That if you redirect the oxygen tank into the engine chamber, it actually prolongs the flight time for the fish?"

"So cool!" Luffy shouted as he leapt onto the Flying Fish, "My turn! My turn! Get off, Nana!"

"This fish needs to go back into the water," Nana said as she looked over to Duvall, "Do you have another?"

Duvall blinked back at her and he put a hand to his face. "D-D-Do I have a brother? Oh! You must think that since I am so unattainably handsome, I might have a sibling, who would be much more in your league. Alas, I do not and-"

Nana swiftly threw her wrench at his head and knocked him off of his bull. "Who the hell would think that?! And what do you mean 'in my league'?! You think you're better than me?!"

Luffy held Nana back with his rubber arms. "No, Nana! You can't kill him! We need another fish!"

Everyone in the crew was sure Luffy would fall into the sea if he rode on the Flying Fish himself. Luffy was determined to mimic Nana and do some pretty awesome stunts. Thus, they compromised and had Nana go up with Luffy. Soon, everyone else wanted a ride too, even Zoro.

By the time Nana was done giving the last ride to Chopper, everyone was either stuffed from takoyaki or completely tired out from the exhilarating thrill ride. Duvall left with his newly named Rosy Life Riders but not before giving his number to Sanji in case they ever needed him to call.

Sanji brought out some afternoon tea and snacks and they all relaxed on the lawn deck while figuring out their next steps. They still had no way to get to Fishman Island.

"Fishmen and mermaids can swim down to the Fishman Island easily," Hatchi explained, "But the water pressure would kill any humans who tried."

"Yeah...even our submarine couldn't handle it," Franky muttered, "So how are we supposed to get to the ocean floor?"

"Okay, eyes on me!" Pappagu announced as he stood confidently on the railing, "Looks like you don't know squat so let me explain it to you."

Nana blinked at him and then turned back to Franky. "Do you think with enough cola we could Coup de Burst over the Red Line? Maybe if we added some steam power behind it as well, we could-"

Franky shook his head. "It's so high we don't know how far it reaches. Besides, Nee-chan's log pose already registered to the island so we have to go there or else we'll be lost."

"Ah," Sanji sighed as he gazed adoringly at Nana, "Nana is so pretty when she talks shop."

"Huh?! C'mon, listen to me!" Pappagu complained from the sidelines.

The group turned back to the starfish. "Let's start over! First, there are actually two routes that lead to the New World but for outlaws like you guys, there's really only one."

"Why?" Luffy grunted as he rubbed his belly, filled with takoyaki.

"At the request of the World Government, one route cuts across the Holy Land of Marie Joies, which sits on top of the Red Line. Of course, pirates will never receive authorization to take that route."

"So if they walk over the Red Line, what do they do about their ship?" Nana asked.

"You abandon it and purchase another one that resembles it on the other side," Pappagu stated.

"Abandon the ship?!" Nana and Franky cried out in horror.

"Yep," Pappagu said with a firm nod, "It's expensive and the application takes time. However, your route lets you take the ship."

Both Nana and Franky leaned against each other and sighed a breath of relief. "Oh, thank god," Nana muttered.

"The route that you take is called the Fishman Island via Ocean Floor Route," Camie interrupted, unintentionally taking the spotlight off of her mentor, "The Red Line is a large barrier that stretches around the world but there's a hole at the bottom that you can go through. That's where Fishman Island is and you have to dive deep, deep down...about 10,000 meters to the ocean floor...But the Ocean Floor Route is dangerous. There's sea monsters and Sea Kings down there that eat entire ships, people and all!"

"Eeeeek!" Chopper and Usopp shrieked.

"I...don't...I don't want to go to Fishman Island anymore," Chopper said faintly as a sweat dropped down his forehead.

"Wait...sea monsters and Sea Kings aside, are you saying we are taking our ship down to the ocean floor? _This_ ship?" Nana asked.

"En," Camie said with a nod.

"B-b-But this ship can't go underwater!" Franky sputtered.

"Oh, no worries there," Camie said with a grin.

"Huh?" the two former residents of Water 7 asked.

"You'll get it coated at the island we're heading to now. Sabaody Archipelago," Camie explained.

Nana and Franky exchanged confused looks. "Coated?"

* * *

With the guidance of the merfolk (and Pappagu) along with the navigational skills of Nami, the Straw Hats made it fairly quickly to Sabaody Archipelago. It was nothing Nana had ever seen before. The air filled with bubbles. They drifted up from the ground and floated into the air in all different sizes.

The ground itself couldn't be considered as ground, either. The archipelago was made up of a cluster of mangrove trees, called the Hustle Muscle Mangroves, and it didn't interfere with Nami's log pose. The roots were constantly exposed at Sabaody Archipelago, which is what made up the ground.

"There are a total of 79 trees. Each of the trees is an island with its own town and facilities," Hatchi explained, "Each tree is numbered and a bridge connects each tree to the one next toit. Grove #44 is a civilian entrance, since it's towards the front. Let's dock a bit further in."

They docked at Grove #41 and no one was surprised that Luffy was the first to jump off the ship, eager to explore the area.

"Listen, everyone make sure you don't forget that we are at Grove #41. You need to remember that number or else you'll get lost," Hatchi said sternly.

Nana put her hands on her hips and she looked down at Pygmy. "Is it just me or is Hatchi being overly cautious?"

Pygmy barked and wagged his tail.

A large bubble rose up in front of Luffy and the rubber man jumped on top of it. "Oooh!" he marvelled as he used taht bubble to jump onto a higher bubble, "Look! It's not popping!'

"The Hustle Muscle Mangrove's roots are secreting a special type of natural resin," Pappagu explained.

Nana squatted down and wiped her hands across the surface of the mossy roots. She felt a sticky, tacky substance on her hands and she lifted it up to inspect it. It was slightly clear and translucent. She held it out for Pygmy to sniff. "Interesting...don't you think?" she asked with a grin.

"So these bubbles are a natural phenomenon," Robin stated as she looked around her.

"Yes," Hatchi said, "And that's what we're going to coat your ship with. We'll go find a coating professional and have him cover your ship in resin. Simply put, that'll make it so your ship can go underwater."

"Seriously?" Franky asked in disbelief.

"Of course, you need to find a good craftsman otherwise the resin won't work and the water pressure will crush both the ship and the humans in it. I only know of one trustworthy craftsman, so I'm taking you to him," Hatchi said.

"A coating craftsman," Nana grinned, "Sounds interesting."

Sanji pouted over at Nana and she scoffed. "Don't get jealous over someone you haven't even met yet."

"In exchange, though," Hatchi continued and his voice got serious, "You have to promise me one thing."

"What?" Luffy asked.

Hatchi's expression darkened and he dropped his voice. "When we go into town, there might be some World Nobles walking around."

"World Nobles?" Luffy asked as he picked his nose.

"The residents of the Holy Land of Marie Joies," Robin explained.

"No matter what happens in town, promise me that you won't defy the World Nobles," Hatchi pressed, "Even if they kill someone right before your eyes...pretend you didn't see it happen."

"What?!" the Straw Hats gasped.

"No," Nana said flatly.

Hatchi gaped at her, "You don't understand...If you harm a World Noble, a Navy Admiral will come for you with his entire army."

"Aokiji?!" Luffy gasped.

"Or Akainu...or even Kizaru," Pappagu added.

"What? Why?!" Nana demanded.

"They share the Creators' blood," Pappagu explained, "That's also why they are also known as the Celestial Dragons.'

"Creators?" Nana asked.

Pappagu looked at her sternly. "The twenty families that created the huge World Government organization 800 years ago. With each generation, they grow more reckless with power...but you must not defy them. No matter what it is that they do."

"I don't care if they're nobles," Nana said softly but angrily, "I don't care even if the blood flowing in them is from the devil himself. I will not stand back and watch someone die in front of my eyes! Not anymore!"

"Nana," Hatchi pleaded.

"If you guys want to, that's your choice but I won't agree to your condition, Hatchi," Nana folded her arms and she turned back on her heels. She and Pygmy marched back to the Thousand Sunny, "But we need a coating expert in order to move on from this place so I'll just stay on the ship until he arrives. I'll stay out of trouble."

"Nana!" Sanji ran after her.

"But-" Hatchi started to call after them.

"Let her just stay on the ship," Nami chimed in, "As long as no World Nobles go on board the Sunny, it'll be fine."

Usopp was slightly moved at Nami's support for Nana. "Nami, that's very-"

"Besides, we have so much treasure on that ship, we need someone to guard it," Nami finished.

A sweat drop fell down Usopp's face. _I should've known._

"Well, I need to reload the cola since we used up all our stock in our last battle...so I'll stay on the ship with the brat. Besides, it's our jobs to maintain the ship," Franky offered.

"I can help too," Usopp chimed in.

Sanji turned and glared at the two men. He was hoping to get some alone time with the angel but of course the cyborg and the sniper had to come to spoil it

When he caught up to Nana, he saw that she was still very upset by what she had just heard. "Nana…"

"What gives them the right to devalue another human's life?" Nana asked, "Just because of what family they were born into? They think they can just go around and kill people? It's sickening."

Sanji's hand clenched into a fist and then fell to his side. _If she knew…_


	47. The 12th Rookie

_Glug glug glug glug. Clink! Glug glug glug glug. Clink!_

The Thousand Sunny was parked just under a thick mangrove root outside of Dock #41 and the root created a comfortable shade over the ship. Nana, Usopp, and Franky were in the middle of the deck, pouring bottle after bottle of cola into an opened barrel and throwing the bottles over their shoulders as soon as they were empty, while Sanji watched in a corner. It had become somewhat of a competition between the trio with the cook being the judge and the pile behind them was steadily growing. They had already filled up three of the barrels. Each had won one round and this was the deciding round.

"I'm winning!" Nana cackled triumphantly right after she opened two new bottles simultaneously with her teeth, "Victory is mine!"

"Go, Nana, go!" Sanji cheered from the sidelines as he sneakily kicked a bottle just inches away from Usopp's grasp without the sniper noticing.

"No one can out pour me!" Usopp declared, " I remember this one time in my village, there was a big cola drought and-"

"Alright! This barrel is about to get full," Franky interrupted as he brought over the lid, "Time to seal it and then we can count the bottles."

Nana grinned and she stepped toward her pile to start counting. Pygmy ran around her pile and barked happily. Suddenly, Pygmy slowed down his pace and started to sniff the air. For a very brief moment, Nana tensed up but it was so quick, no one else noticed except the cook and the cyborg, but only because they were on high alert as well.

"Sanji?" Nana asked calmly as she continued to count her bottles, "Franky?"

"Ah," the cook said as he lit his cigarette and casually puffed on it.

"Usopp," Franky called, raising his voice slightly, "How many bottles do you have so far?"

"67," the sniper answered, happily sifting through his pile, "And still counting!"

"What?!" Nana cried angrily as she marched over towards him with her hammer in hand, "That can't be right. You cheated."

"What?" Usopp sputtered, "How dare you accuse me of-"

"Enough of this!" Nana roared and she grabbed Usopp's Kabuto, which was leaning against the railing on the side, and she threw it at the sniper, who caught it in his hands, "Now fight me like a man!"

"What?!" Usopp shrieked as Nana came charging at him with her hammer.

"You heard me," Nana roared as she swung her weapon upwards, "Fight me like a man!"

Her hammer flew right past Usopp's nose, just barely grazing the tip, and her hammer crashed through a mangrove branch right above their head. It created a perfect hole. Ten bounty hunters jumped from each side of the limb, avoiding the hammer, and down onto the ship deck. The hammer sailed back down into Nana's hand just as she stepped closer to the center of the deck with Franky and Sanji.

"Ahhhh!" Usopp cried, rushing to hide behind his nakamas, "Were they here the whole time?!"

"What the hell do you jerks want?" Sanji growled as he stuffed his hands into his pockets.

"Hehehe," one of the men laughed. He had a nasty scar that stretched from his ear to his lip and small hoop earrings all along top curve of both ears, "Super Rookie...you're coming with us."

"Super...Rookie?" the Straw Hats muttered and they looked amongst themselves, "Who are you talking to?"

He jabbed a stubby finger at Nana, "You. Mizu Nana, with a bounty of 105 million bellis."

Nana blinked in disbelief and she looked over at Franky. "Me? Really?"

"I know, right?! I'd think if there was any one who is super, it would be me! I'm especially super this week," Franky huffed as he pushed his arms together, "Super!"

"Oy, oy, oy!" Sanji muttered as he ashed his cigarette, "If any one is a super rookie, it would be me. I've been in this business longer than you two."

"But that wouldn't make you a rookie then, would it?" Nana asked with a contemplative frown.

"Can you three not debate that right now?! He already said it was Nana anyways," Usopp protested, "Take this fight seriously!"

"You bastards…Pay attention to us!" one of the bounty hunters roared and they all launched forward towards the Straw Hats.

"Don't interrupt our conversation!" Franky, Nana, and Sanji yelled as they punched, kicked, and hammered the group to the ground while Usopp quickly jumped out of the way as not to get caught in the crossfires. The brawl barely lasted five seconds.

"God damn it," Nana grunted as she crouched next to a semi-conscious bounty hunter, "I'd thought the fight would be more interesting. A devil fruit user or something."

"Good job, you guys. You did exactly as I instructed," Usopp boasted in the background.

Sanji squatted next to Nana and he pulled the leader of the bounty hunter's head back by his ponytail. "Oy, this super rookie thing. What is that and what does that have to do with Nana?"

The man scoffed. "Your own crew has the most super rookies and you don't even know?"

In a blink of an eye, his ponytail was gone by the buzzing saw on the edge of Nana's hammer. It left a bald patch at the back of his head and the bounty hunter's eyes widened as he felt the bare skin.

"Next time, I'll shave even closer," Nana threatened, "So fucking answer the questions."

"You're a rookie...a new pirate...," he rasped, "With over 100 million bellis for a bounty. There's eleven other big shots in total on this island, including two others from your crew. Monkey D. Luffy and Roronoa Zoro. They call you guys the 12 Supernovas...and your bounty is the lowest one."

"So you figured I'd be the easiest to take out? Is that what happened, you bastard?!" Nana seethed as she knocked the guy out with her hammer. She looked indignantly at Franky, who was casually tossing the men overboard, "How offensive."

"Don't pout, Nana-brat," Franky said, "And just be happy you've made such a big name for yourself."

"Being hunted is not a good thing!" Usopp lectured from the back, "If these guys found us and the Sunny, that means more could be coming!"

"We should move the ship," Nana said as she went to the steering wheel.

"We can't move it too far or else the others won't be able to find us," Sanji reminded

"We'll stay in Grove #41," Franky suggested with a nod, "But just move it away from here, just in case."

"Roger," Nana replied as she walked towards the wheel.

_Purupurpuru. Purupurpurpuru._

The Straw Hats all stopped in their tracks and turned towards the kitchen.

"Oh no...Do you think someone took Zoro or Luffy?" Nana gasped.

"Are you kidding?" Sanji asked as he ran up the stairs, "I'm more worried that they beat up someone they shouldn't have and have alerted the Navy. It's most likely Nami-san telling us we need to get the hell out of here."

Nana looked over at Franky. "Should I still move the ship?"

Franky shook his head, "No. We should stay put just in case the others need to super get away."

Nana nodded and they ran into the kitchen to see who had called. They opened the door just in time to see Sanji pick up the receiver. IMmediately, Chopper's hysterical cry blasted through the transponder snail.

"Camie's been kidnapped!" he shrieked.

"WHAT?!" the Straw Hats shouted.

"She's gone! She was just here...We left her for a second and then she's...she's…" Chopper cried and began to hyperventilate.

"Chopper," Sanji said with a much more calmer and instructive tone that Nana could ever manage in this situation, "Take a deep breath. You can tell us what happened exactly later. The most important thing is do we have any idea who did it?"

"Pappagu and Hatchi thinks it's some sort of kidnapping group," the reindeer sobbed, "I don't know why, but they let people sell merfolk and fish-men even if they aren't bad guys. Camie's going to get sold. She's going to be a slave forever."

"What? What do you mean...slave?!" Nana gasped, "Slave to who?"

"The Celestial Dragons," Chopper cried, his voice getting back to hysterics, "They take their slaves and they put exploding collars on them so they don't escape."

Nana felt utter revulsion course through her body.

"There's a lot of places called the Human Shoppes that sell people and mermaids here," Chopper continued, "So there's no telling when or where she will be sold. We don't even know who kidnapped her! The archipelago is too big and..and...and-"

"Tell us exactly where you are and wait there…" Sanji ordered calmly. He reached a hand back towards Nana and he grabbed her hand to steady her as well. He didn't even have to look to know how shaken she was to hear this.

"Eh? But…?" Chopper started to protest.

"There are pros when it comes to this sort of thing. I'm calling the Flying Fish Riders," Sanji explained.

"Sanji!" Chopper cried, "What am I supposed to do?!"

"Listen, Chopper," Sanji said sternly but assuredly, "Don't go anywhere, no matter what! I _will_ send someone to get you."

"Okay...Okay...We're at Public Transponder Snail #5 at the Amusement Park. We'll wait for you here," Chopper answered as bravely as he could and hung up the snail.

_Catcha._

"WHAT? THERE WAS AN AMUSEMENT PARK?!" Sanji shouted and then he tearfully looked back at Nana, "Nana...We could've gone on a really romantic date."

"Maybe when we get Camie back," Nana said with a nervous smile.

"Yosh!" Sanji screamed with fervor and he started dialing the transponder snail to Duvall's line, "Operation: Romantic Date Retrieval is in action!"

"Don't you mean Mermaid Retrieval?!" Usopp snapped at the cook.

* * *

"You're smoking too much," Nana stated bluntly as she pulled the cigarette out of Sanji's lips and stuck it in the can he was using to collect all his cigarette butts. They had been waiting for twenty minutes for Duvall and his men and the can was already half full.

Nana hoped Sanji was smoking so much because he was worried about Camie and not because he was anxious to get to the Amusement Park. Nana placed the can down on the table and gave Sanji a soft kiss on the lips before looking firmly into his eyes, hoping that it was the former that made him so stressed. "I get it. I'm mad as hell too...but we'll get her back."

"Nana…" Sanji whispered softly as he leaned forward to continue kissing her. If he couldn't smoke, then he needed another way to destress.

"Oy...should we just turn around and look away?" Usopp murmured to Franky.

"If they aren't ashamed, why should we be?" Franky stated brazenly back.

Nana then looked up over the railing, noticing the distant sounds of Duvall's motor. "They're here."

"About damn time," Sanji growled even though he sort of wished that Duvall could've waited a little bit longer.

"Young Master!" Duvall called, "Yahoo! It's me, Handsome! Oh! I mean, Duval! Hello, Young Master 'Black Leg'!"

"Took you guys long enough," Sanji snapped, "A mermaid has been kidnapped. That's why I called for you."

"Eh? You encountered kidnappers?" Duvall gasped, "What horrible villains."

"Weren't you a kidnapper too?!" Nana demanded.

"Can we really count on these guys?" Usopp asked exasperatedly.

"We just have to find the mermaid before it gets sold, right, Young Master?" Duvall asked cheerfully.

"Exactly," Sanji said, "I figure you must have _some_ knowledge of the Sabaody Archipelago!"

"But of course," Duvall answered with a flip of his coiffed hair, "These waters are pretty much like our backyard! You can count on us."

"Okay! Hop on!" one of the Rosy Life Riders shouted.

"Oh, we also left an empty one for you, Pretty Honorary Member," Duvall said sweetly to Nana as he scrunched his face in an attempt to wink.

"Thank...you...?" Nana said feeling a little discomfort from looking at his face twitch.

"Stop forcing it!" Sanji yelled at the man as he helped Nana onto a Flying Fish.

"Young Master," Duvall explained, "Those of a trade know each other's ways. I know of several kidnapping teams that could be behind this. We'll start by picking up your Straw Hat friends scattered around the Sabaody Archipelago and at the same time we'll figure out which kidnapping team is behind this!"

"Here, Honorary Member," one of the Riders said as he handed a glass helmet to Nana, "You'll need this to breathe underwater."

"Right...cuz of the fish," Nana said hesitantly as she took it from his hands.

Sanji looked down at her and he frowned, "Will you be okay? Should I stay with you?"

Nana shook her head, "Go with Duvall. You need to be the center of command. You think more clearly than I do and you're definitely smarter than that idiot so stay with him so you get all the information from his men. I'll be fine."

Sanji placed a kiss on top of Nana's head before fitting her helmet over her head. "Be careful," he murmured before he jumped onto the back of Duvall's Motobalo.

"Pygmy, stay with the ship!" Nana ordered to her dog, "But don't get into any fights. If anyone comes or if anything happens, come get me! You'll know how to find me!"

Pygmy barked at her and sniffed the air.

"Alright," Duvall cheered excitedly, "Let's go, men! Oh! And Pretty Honorary Member!"

Nana fitted her goggles over her head and gunned it. Her Flying Fish ducked into the water for one last soak before shooting forward into the sky. She gasped when she realized she never checked how fast Duvall's ride was and she watched in horror as Duvall and Sanji grew smaller and smaller behind her. _Duvall's bull is slow!_

And then she winced. _Sanji must be pissed._

* * *

Nana zoomed past the mangrove trees with two of the Rosy Life Riders flanking her side. Usopp and Franky had split up from them with the rest of the Riders to help spread out the search. They swerved above the streets of the archipelago until she spotted a very familiar straw hat and it appeared he was with Hatchi and Pappagu.

"I see him! It's Luffy!" Nana shouted as she pointed him out for the riders to see, "Luffy!"

Luffy looked up at the sound of her call and his eyes widened, "Nana?!"

"We called the Flying Fish Riders to help look for Camie!" Nana explained, "Hop on!"

Luffy grabbed Pappagu and jumped onto Nana's fish, grabbing it by its tail, as she dove downwards towards them while Hatchi jumped onto another fish.

"Octoguy?!" Luffy shouted at Hatchi as he clung onto his ride.

"I'm okay!" he replied.

Luffy grinned as he took a seat behind Nana while holding onto Pappagu, "Alright. Let's go save Camie!'

"Yosh!" Nana replied, "Now tell me, captain, what the fuck is going on with this island?!"

Nana was so angry that she swore she was seeing red but her natural instincts had kicked in. Her emotions were not affecting her steering the Flying Fish. She was able to fly her Flying Fish smoothly, following behind the Riders. Unfortunately, because she was not familiar with the lay of the land, she had to follow behind them rather than shoot forward.

Nana was infuriated beyond belief as soon as Luffy had filled her in on what they had witnessed when the group was exploring with Camie and Hatchi. The seemingly light hearted arcipelago actually had a thick layer of cruelty and darkness beneath it all. Slavery, human trafficking, and prejudice against fishmen and mermaids were a major part of this place and it made Nana want to vomit just thinking about it.

They were flying all around the island, checking any leads and any signs of the mermaid, but so far none of them were having any luck. The usually loud and boisterous rubber man and mechanic fell into a tense silence as they waited to catch some sort of break.

"This is Fish #5! Attention all Rosy Life Riders. Peterman was the one that kidnapped the mermaid and they're at the auction house at Grove #1," one of the riders finally announced on the transponder snail connected to Nana's Flying Fish.

"Grove #1?" Nana narrowed her eyes. She turned to the rider next to her, "Do you know where it is?"

"Ah, follow me!" he said.

"Step on it!" Luffy ordered as Nana swerved to the left to follow the Rider.

"I'm going as fast as I can without actually knowing where I'm going, Luffy!" Nana seethed through her gritted teeth.

"We're coming! Camie!" Luffy screamed.

"Not helping, Luffy!" Nana roared as she flew past Grove #13 and then her eyes caught onto a familiar green head of hair, "Holy shit! It's Zoro!"

She dove down while Luffy extended his arms towards the swordsman as they flew past and grabbed his collar. "Zoro! Shut up and just get on!" the rubber man yelled.

"Wha-AHHHHHHH!" Before Zoro could even react, he was flying through the air at breakneck speed towards the flying fish.

"We're going to save Camie!" Luffy roared with fervor.

"Someday…" he murmured dizzily in the seat, "I'm going to cut you in two, Luffy."

The Flying Fish ahead of Nana began to slow down so Nana could fly side by side to it. "They're up there! In the Auction House!" the Rider informed Nana and he pointed the building out in front of her, "See that in the clearing?"

Nana grinned. She had just gotten her green light.

"Hold on, you two. We're about to go full speed," she yelled to Luffy and Zoro, "Nana Special!"

"Nana, whatever you're thinking of doing-" Zoro warned.

"GOOOOO!" Luffy shouted.

"FISH BOMMMMMMMB!" the mechanic screamed as she crashed the Flying Fish through the door of the auction house, taking out a chunk of the roof at the same time.

They landed hard on the floor and skidded into the back two rows of seats closest to the entrance. Nana could hear some mild screams and gasps of horror through the cloud of dust that had kicked up. She got up to her feet and pulled the glass helmet off her head. She tossed it over her shoulder. She didn't even notice how silent the whole building had gotten that she could hear the clear sound of it shattering.

"I knew it…" Zoro coughed as he got up to his feet, "Of course you would pull a stupid stunt like that, Nana."

"Oy! Nana, what are you trying to do?! Kill us?!" Luffy yelled as he climbed out of the rubble.

"There's no way to _land_ a flying fish unless it's on water. What did you expect me to do?" Nana snapped, "Besides, you said to go so I did!"

"I meant go faster! Not go crash it!" Luffy snapped.

"What the hell is going on and where are we anyways?" Zoro growled as he rubbed the back of his head, "Why are you guys so eager to get back to the ship?"

"Does this look like the ship to you?!" Nana asked incredulously.

"Oh my god. Nana knocked Zoro blind!" Luffy cried in horror.

"DON'T BE RIDICULOUS!" Zoro and Nana yelled at their captain at the same time.

"Luffy?" Nana suddenly heard Nami gasp from the side.

"Zoro, too?!" Chopper's voice asked incredulously.

"Ow! Nana-brat!"

Nana blinked and turned toward the side where she saw the stunned eyes of Nami, Chopper, Franky, and Sanji gaping back at them. "Oh, you guys are here already?," she asked as she placed her hands on her hips.

"My Nwanwa makes such an amazing grand entrance!" Sanji cheered.

"Where the hell have you guys been?" Nami demanded and pointed at something behind Nana, "Camie just got sold!"

"She just WHAT?!" Nana immediately whirled around to take a good look of her surroundings. They were in the back of an auditorium. A very large auditorium. It was much bigger than she thought it would be. There was much more people sitting in the seats too. Too many people.

"A-a-a-are these all...buyers?" she asked incredulously.

A gloomy look clouded over the Straw Hats as they nodded stiffly at her. "Yes...Nana," Sanji answered.

Nana didn't what to think as she looked at every single person seated in the auditorium. Her eyes met every single one of them. Some of them glared at her, some of them looked at her with fear, and some looked at her in disgust...but none of them...None of them looked at her with an ounce of shame.

There was a pair of eyes that unsettled her the most. She knew that look. She had that look when she had to inspect the cannons made by shipwrights from the other docks. He was assessing her power and value. The eyes looked intensely at Nana underneath the rim of the owner's white spotted fur cap and it made her stomach turn even more. The word "DEATH" was tattooed on his fingers as he adjusted a large sword resting on his shoulder.

_How could they sit here and look at people as if they were objects? How could these people just sit there and not only watch this happen...but participate?! What kind of vile, repugnant people could actually sit through this?_

Then her eyes went to the stage. Camie was in the center of the stage in a bubble shaped water tank. She had chains on her neck and wrist. Luffy spotted her at the same time. Camie's eyes met Nana's. The look of pure fear and panic reminded Nana of a caged animal and something inside Nana snapped.

"CAMIE!" Nana roared, "We're getting you the fuck out of here. Don't worry! I won't let them take you!"

"Camie!" Luffy shouted, "We've been looking for you everywhere. What a relief!"

Suddenly, arms shot out and grabbed Nana back. It was Sanji. From the corner of her eye, Nana saw Hatchi sprint down the stairs to get Luffy.

"What the hell, Sanji!" Nana shouted, "Let me go! We need to save Camie!"

"Stop it, Nana," Sanji murmured sternly into her ears, "We can't get her just yet."

'What the fuck are you talking about?!" Nana cried in disbelief, "She's right there!"

"She is but she's wearing an explosive collar. We can't take her away just yet," Sanji explained.

"What the fuck kind of third rate mechanic do you think I am?" Nana shot back as she thrashed against his hold, "You think I can't handle an exploding collar?"

"Nana, that's not the only problem," Sanji tried again, "Do you see those three wearing the glass helmets over their heads? Those are Celestial Dragons! So-"

"So what?!" Nana screamed, her blood boiled just by the mere mention of the nobles, "So what if those stupid dragons are here? Who the fuck do they think they are?!"

Sanji was trying desperately to calm her down. "Nana, if you harm them, the Navy will come and-"

"Then let them come!" Nana shouted, feeling her rage in every fiber of her being, "Let them come and see this. Let them come and turn a blind eye to this atrocity. Let them come and prove to me, once again, that their version of justice is a fucking sham...AND THEN I WILL FUCKING TEAR THEIR FUCKING JUSTICE APART!"

Her threat rang out in the auditorium and everyone went into a stunned silence. Everyone that is, except the rubber man.

"Camie!" Luffy roared as he broke away from Hatchi again, "I'm coming for you!"

"Straw Hat, stop!" Hatchi pleaded.

"Let me go, Hatchi!" Luffy demanded as he freed himself with little effort.

A panicked look crossed the octopus' face. Frantically, his other four arms busted out of his jacket. "Stop!" he cried and gripped tightly around the rubber man.

Instantly, the mood of the room turned from confusion to horror and disgust. Despite her blinding rage, Nana caught the shift and she looked warily around her. _What's going on?_

"Ahhhhhh!" several women screamed at the sight of Hatchi.

"He's a Fishman! Disgusting," someone shouted near Nana.

"Don't get too close or you might get a disease," another person yelled.

"Go back to the sea!" someone shouted at Hatchi, "Get out of here!"

Nana's head slowly turned towards Sanji and her nakama. "What...did they say?" she asked.

"It's as Robin said…" Nami gasped from the back with a horrified look on her face, "They discriminate against fishmen and merfolk on these islands. They think of them as lower beings."

"Ugh! What a monster!" someone shrieked.

"Get away from here! You don't belong here!" another person cried.

Nana suddenly went deadly still and she stopped struggling against the cook's hold. "Sanji…" Nana growled, "I love you…but if you don't let me go, I'll never forgive you."

"Nana, I-"

Nana's eyes lowered and she gritted her teeth. "Sanji…"

Sanji immediately dropped his hold on her and he took a hesitant step back. He had never heard such a feral and guttural tone come from her before.

_Thwack!_

The crowd started to throw items at Hatchi's head. First it was a book, then it was an auction paddle, and then a purse.

Suddenly, Nana's head jerked up and her face went white. She had heard a gun click. There was no mistaking it. She looked at the other Straw Hats and realized that the commotion in the audience was too loud so they didn't hear it. She didn't see the gun or it's wielder but somehow she could just feel it in her gut who it was directed at. She sprinted towards Hatchi and flew down the steps towards him. "Hatchi! Down!"

_Bang!_

"Hatchi!" Camie cried from her water tank, "Nana-chin!"

Both Nana and Hatchi fell onto the stairs. Nana laid flat on top of Hatchi with a bullet wound in her right shoulder.

"NANA!" the Straw Hats shouted.

"Nana! Are you okay?" Hatchi cried.

Nana looked up at him and she smirked. "I've been through worse."

She heard the gun click again and this time it was much closer to her. She turned to stare angrily at the source, while she turned the dial on her glove. The gun owner was one of the Celestial Dragons with a bun on the top of his head and snot dripping out of one of his nostrils. He wore a bubble over his head and long white robes. He pointed his gun at Nana and he looked unaffected by what he had done.

"Stand up in front of me, will you?!" he asked, "How dare you interfere with me taking this Fishman? That Fishman is mine!"

Before Nana could move, Hatchi wrapped his tentacle arms around Nana from behind and forced her into a kneeling position. "I'm sorry, Nana! Don't be mad! Let him take me. It's fine! Just apologize, Nana! Tell him you're sorry and he won't kill you!"

"Hatchi!" Nana gasped, "What the hell are you saying?"

"It's fine," Hatchi insisted, "It's my fault all this happened."

"How?!" Nana demanded.

"I was a pirate in my earlier life. This is what I deserve...for doing those horrible things...I'm sorry...For dragging you into this," Hatchi cried as he clung tightly onto Nana to protect her and to stop her for doing anything rash, "I just wanted to make amends with Nami...even if it wasn't much. I wanted to be helpful to you guys...But I guess I just screwed it all up. I've always been a screw-up...no matter what I do. I can't do anything right. I'm just a troublemaker."

Nana's fists clenched to her side and her head lowered to the ground. She drew in a shaky breath before a sad smile crept over her lips.

"Hatchi…It seems you and I are exactly the same," Nana said softly as she stopped struggling against his hold, "We're both troublemakers. Two people who seem to make a mess of things wherever we go...Fishmen or human...we're exactly the same...and we both have things we need to atone for."

"Nana…" he whimpered back, believing that maybe she was about to apologize.

Then her eyes narrowed. "So you better hold onto me tight," she said sternly, "Or else I'm going to make another mistake and beat the living crap out of the Celestial Dragons!

Her head jerked up and she glared murderously at the noble while continuing to talk to Hatchi. "They don't know what a mistake is. They do not feel pain. They do not feel regret. They are not like us. They're not people...They're not even human in my eyes! So you better not let me loose," she warned, "Or else I swear to you, Hatchi, I will _make_ them feel pain. I will _make_ them feel regret and I WILL BEAT THE HUMANITY INTO THEM!"

The Celestial Dragon took a step back in fear but then quickly recovered with an indignant look on his face. "What are you two blabbering on about? Ugh. I'll just kill you both...I already won the mermaid anyways."

"Wait."

The sound of straw sandals hitting the stone steps began to grow louder and louder until Nana could see her captain stoically walking past her and Hatchi.

"Straw Hat!" Pappagu gasped.

"Straw Hat…" Hatchi cried as he struggled with the decision to either stop the mechanic or the rubber man.

"Tch, you annoy me too," the Celestial Dragon sneered at Luffy as he aimed his gun at Luffy, "What's with that look?!"

_Bang! Bang!_

Luffy easily dodged the two bullets as he dashed right in front of the Celestial Dragon and he pulled back his fist. "AHHHHHHHHHHH!"

WIth a rage-filled battle cry, he shot his fist at the noble's face, smashing through his glass headgear and breaking his facial bones. The noble was sent backwards, crashing through rows and rows of seats before smashing back first into the stone wall of the auction house.

"CAMIE IS NOT FOR SALE!" Luffy cried.

* * *

Trafalgar Law smirked in his seat. _Straw Hat-ya…_

Then his eyes went over to the girl. The one who so openly threatened not only the Navy but the World Nobles as well. _So this was the twelfth supernova...The one with the lowest bounty, huh? Mizu Nana-ya...How interesting._


	48. Diffusion

Luck seemed to be on Nana's side as the guards of the auction house all wore metal armor. "Nana Special! Repel!" she yelled as she fired up her glove and sent a row of guards flying to the back of the room.

All hell had broken loose as soon as Luffy punched the living daylights out of the Celestial Dragon. Guards came in with their weapons and the crowd fled to the exits.

Nana ran down the steps and leapt onto the stage. Her focus was on getting the collar off of Camie. Franky had ran backstage to find the keys just in case.

"Stay away from the mermaid! Guards! Guards!" the auctioneer on the stage yelled at Nana.

"Shut up!" Nana roared as she grabbed her hammer, 'Wrathful Smash!"

The auctioneer leapt out of the way as Nana's hammer smashed through his podium, breaking it into little pieces, gavel and all before bursting into flames. She then pointed her hammer head at the auctioneer. "Get the fuck out of my face or I'll use you as a gavel block."

"Ahhh," he cried as he scurried backstage.

Nana then turned towards the front of the stage. "Zoro! Tank!"

"Ah!" Zoro said as he slashed the top off of the water tank. Most of the water spilled out of the tank and Nana quickly pulled herself into it. The water level was just at Nana's shoulders and the sea water stung the gunshot wound in her back but she ignored it as she stood in front of Camie with her hands on her hips.

"Camie, tilt your head so I can see your collar better," Nana ordered.

Camie jerked her whole body away from Nana. "No! Nana-chin. If you touch the collar it's going to explode."

"I'm in here with you aren't I?" Nana asked as she lifted Camie's wrists to look at the chains on her wrists, "If you explode, I explode." Then she looked up and grinned at Camie, "But it won't. Trust me."

She pulled her goggles over her eyes and she began to inspect every inch of Camie's collar.

"Step away from the mermaid!" Nana heard some guards in the back yell.

There was sound of a flurry of kicks. "Get the hell away from Nana and Camie-chan!" Sanji's voice shouted.

"Nana! How's the collar?!" Luffy's voice called.

"I'm working on it!" Nana seethed as she inspected the collar at almost every angle, "Everyone just SHUT UP! I need to concentrate!"

Suddenly, there was a loud crunching sound from above and Nana had no choice but to look up to see what had happened. Three more flying fish came flying in through the roof with Robin, Brook, and Usopp on their back. They all jumped safely onto the Auction Floor.

"See, Nana? Those three got in here without crashing," Luffy huffed.

"They didn't have to land a fish!" Nana snapped.

"Looks like we're all here," Nami said with a grin as Usopp came running towards them.

Nana turned back to Camie and drowned the noise out. She needed to focus. The collar was highly sensitive and if she missed even a minor detail, that would be the end of it for the both of them. It helped that the water sloshed around her as she moved so that it drowned out some of the noise outside.

Suddenly, she heard a gun click above her and her head snapped up. A female Celestial Dragon was pointing a gun at her and Camie. "This is unforgivable!" she announced, "I'm going to just kill this mermaid for all the trouble that it's caused."

"God damn it, Sanji!" Nana snapped at him, "Of course you'd let the female through."

"I'm sorry, Nana!" she heard Sanji moan shamefully.

The gun was pointed directly at Nana. _If I dodge, it's going to hit Camie..._ Nana thought as she clenched her fist, _And there's nowhere else to move in this tank_.

Just as Nana braced herself for the incoming bullet, the Celestial Dragon fell backwards on her own, dropping the gun, and fainting on the stage. At the same time, a loud crashing sound broke through the wall of the stage. Nana looked over just in time to see it split into two by the bare hands of a giant. He and an old man stepped out from behind the stage.

"See, Mr. Giant?" the old man said calmly, his glasses gleaming under the stage light, "The place is in a real uproar. I'd say the auction's over. I've stolen the money now...so guess I'll head back to the gambling house."

He started to laugh loudly and then he surveyed the crowd. "Ah, looks like we've garnered unwanted attention."

Then his eyes fell on Hatchi, who was struggling with three guards. "Hatchi! What are you doing here?! Oh wait..don't tell me." He scanned the room more slowly this time and then he stroked his long, white beard. "Oh, I see….My, my...You certainly got yourself in a situation, Hatchi."

He stared at Luffy, "And I'm guessing you are the ones helping him?...Well then…"

Suddenly, Nana felt a ripple in the water and all the guards fell over like matchsticks in the wind. Her eyes widened. _Who is this man?!_

A small grin crept over that man's lips. "That straw hat suits dauntless men very well. I've been wanting to meet you, Monkey. D. Luffy."

"Well then, if he's a friend," Nana muttered and returned her attention to Camie.

"Little girl," the old man said as he walked up to the side of the tank, "I can remove that collar if you want."

"Shut up, I can do it," Nana spat as she pulled out a bobby pin and a screwdriver from her pocket.

"Little girl," the man insisted, "I can-"

"Shut the hell up and let me do what I do best, old man!" Nana barked. She then took a deep breath and looked up at Camie. "You're going to be fine. I promise. You believe me?"

Tears filled Camie's eyes and she put on a brave smile. "En!" she said with a nod.

"Good," Nana said, "Because the next ten seconds will be the scariest ten seconds of your life but I need you to not lose your shit."

"What?"

"Don't move if you want to survive," Nana barked, "Ready?"

Camie took a deep breath. "Ready, Nana-chin."

She took the bobby pin and slid it through the hinge of the hourglass figured latch. The collar began to tick.

_10\. 9. 8._

"AHHHHHH! What the hell, Nana?! You set the collar off?!" Luffy yelled.

_7\. 6._

"CAMIE!" Pappagu and Hatchi cried.

Nana gripped her screwdriver as she began to loosen a select few bolts around the latch. The ticking began to quicken.

_5\. 4. 3. 2._

"Ahhh! It's going to blow!" Usopp and Chopper shrieked.

Nana grinned.

_1._

"AHHHHHHH!" The room screamed as they covered their heads but then slowly, they realized that there was no explosion.

_Clank._

The collar opened and fell against the glass water tank, while Nana held up the metal ticker in her hand. "Ta-fucking-da," she said triumphantly to her audience.

"NANNNAAAAA!" the Straw Hats cheered.

"CAMIE!" Pappagu and Hatchi cried with relief as Pappagu raced up to the stage.

Nana tucked the ticker into her pocket and then brought a screwdriver to the shackles on Camie's wrists. They fell off almost immediately upon contact.

Nana leaned over the side of the tank and she grinned back at the old man. "See? Told you I could do it!"

"Ah! Nana-brat, don't super scare me!" Franky shouted as he ran in from the other side of the stage, "I heard the ticking and almost had a heart attack!"

"It was a clock-like mechanism that actually also triggered a hair latch that-" Nana started to explain but Franky held up his hands with the key dangling from his fingers.

"That's great and all but then what am I supposed to do with these?" he pouted.

"Free the others, of course!" Nana said with a punch to his head.

"I super did already, Nana-brat," Franky winced.

"Camie!" Pappagu yelled with relief as he hopped onto the stage to hug the freed mermaid.

Franky then noticed the old man, who was looking at Nana with a contemplative look on his face. "Who's this guy, anyways?"

Nana shrugged. "I have no idea."

"You're very interesting, little girl," the old man grinned as he jumped off the stage and walked up the steps of the auditorium, "Ah! I didn't realize there were other pirates out here too. You must be quite strong to have withstood that with no problem at all."

That's when Nana realized that there were two other pirate groups in the crowd. "Who are _they_?" she asked loudly.

Nami looked at her incredulously, "Robin just explained it to us. How did you not hear any of it? HOW DID YOU NOT _SEE_ ANY OF THEM?!"

Nana pointed at the collar on the floor. "Hello?! I was trying to defuse a potential bomb!"

"Ahh!" Sanji yelled as he pulled her out of the water tank, "Nana is so sexy when she works!"

Nana laughed as he twirled her around. "You know, this isn't the first time you said that."

She pulled the cigarette out from his lips as he ducked his head down to kiss her. She couldn't help but laugh against his kiss, knowing full well what an inappropriate scene they were making.

"Bleccchhhh! Sanji! Nana! What are you two doing?" Luffy demanded, which made Nana break away from Sanji's lips to let her laugh escape.

"Oy, you two!" Zoro snapped, "Now's not the time. We still have the Navy to deal with."

"Those two interfering bastards," Sanji seethed as he shot a deadly glare at the morimo and his captain, while lowering Nana so she could be back on her feet.

A voice came blasting through the walls. "Alright, you criminals! Release the Roswald family at once. An admiral will be arriving shortly. I recommend immediate surrender. Don't blame us for whatever happens, rookies!"

Nana frowned at Sanji. "Looks like the marines are here."

One of the pirates standing in the back raised his hand to call attention to himself. He had long red hair that was spiked straight up with square goggles sitting on the top of his head. His thin lips were positioned in a cold smile. "The longer we stay here, the more troops there'll be. I think I'll go up ahead. While I'm at it, I'll help you guys out too." He started to head out for the door but then he paused and then turned to Nana.

"Oy, you…" he said, his smile replaced with a contemplative frown, "It seems you've found a way to copy my power.

Something about him just did not sit well with Nana and her temper flared. "The fuck are you talking about, you stupid rooster?" she demanded.

She heard someone snort near the back row and she looked over to see that it was the man from before. The man who was appraising her. He had dark circles under his eyes and a smirk on his lips that irked Nana too. "What the hell _you_ laughing at, Panda Eyes?!"

That made the man sit up straighter and his expression turned from cool to outraged. "Panda Eyes?!"

"Why you…" the red haired pirate growled, snapping Nana's attention back to him. He took a threatening step towards Nana but he was stopped by his crew member, a man in a blue and white hockey mask. He placed a hand calmly on the red haired pirate's shoulders while Sanji snaked his arm around Nana's waist, in case he needed to pull her away from harm.

The red haired pirate regained his composure and then he waved back to them as he sauntered towards the entrance. "I'll clean things up outside," he called out to the rest of the room, "So don't worry."

"Oy! Wait!" Luffy, suddenly, shouted as ran after him, "I'll handle it."

Quietly, the pirate with the nodachi got up to his feet and headed for the door too. "I'll do it, Straw Hat-ya," he called out.

Nana raised an eyebrow. "Who are those guys?" she demanded loudly.

Nami slapped a palm to her face and she took a deep calming breath. "I was trying to tell you! Those are two of the twelve super rookies on the island. The one you just called a rooster was Captain Eustass Kid of the Kid Pirates. His bounty is higher than Luffy's, Nana! Did you have to go and piss him off?!"

"What about the other one?" Nana asked, ignoring Nami's last question.

"That's Captain Trafalgar Law of the Heart Pirates," Robin answered.

"Oh," Nana said, "So...what are we doing now? Are we fighting with them or against them?'

"That's what we're trying to figure out!" Nami snapped.

"Let's follow them. We can break through in one go," Zoro suggested.

The old man nodded in agreement. "If we get separated, we can meet in Grove #13. I have some things I want to tell your captain."

"Yosh, Grove #13," Sanji said as he jumped off the stage and then helped Nana off of it.

He laced his fingers with hers as they walked hand in hand towards the door. His eyes fell on her wounded shoulder.

"Nana...your shoulder…"

Nana bumped her fist against his chest. "I'm fine," she said, "I've been shot with much worse. Besides if it leaves a scar, it will commemorate the first time we gave a noble what he deserved."

Sanji's lips tightened into a thin smile. "Ah…a noble..."

Nana felt the handle of her hammer start to tremble on her back and then her metal glove started to shake. _What the…_

"Oy! Nana. What the hell are you doing with your glove?" Zoro demanded as his katanas began to pull out from his side.

"It's not me!" Nana gasped. She glanced down at her glove to make sure it wasn't on.

The weapons in the auditorium started to float and fly towards them and out the door.

"Ahhhh!" Chopper and Usopp screamed, ducking for cover.

Nana narrowed her eyes and turned the dial on her glove. "REPEL!" she yelled as she spun around and held her glove out, stopping three swords and two guns in their tracks as they hovered dangerously close to her hand and Sanji's back.

Her glove shook violently as she played a tug of war with the weapons. Someone was drawing them from behind and Nana was trying to push them away. _That rooster..._

She gritted her teeth and then waved her hand to the side, changing the trajectory of the weapons so that the weapons flew over their heads and out the door.

The Straw Hats quickened their pace and they ran out of the building along with the rest of the two pirate crews just as the three pirate captains knocked back the first line of the navy's attack.

"Amazing! I don't believe my eyes!" Brook shouted.

The old man laughed. "They're quite a reliable bunch."

Nana closed her eyes and tilted her head to the side. She could hear mortar trenches getting loaded in the back. "Five...seven...twelve...sixteen...I can hear sixteen mortars," Nana stated and she opened her eyes.

"Woof! Woof!" Pygmy came barreling out from the army of marines, knocking a few of them as he passed.

"Pygmy!" Nana shouted in surprise as the everyone else gaped at the dog. More specifically, they were all staring at what was he was standing on.

"Is...is...IS PYGMY RIDING YOUR WATERBOARD?!" Usopp screeched.

"Since when did he know how to ride it?!" Chopper gasped.

Nana looked at them as if they were the crazy ones and not her dog, who did a complete wheelie and stopped right at Nana's feet. "Of course he knows how to ride it…" she said as she casually petted her dog, "How do you think I tested my first few prototypes? It's not like _I_ could get in the water."

Without warning, Pygmy leapt off of the land mode waterboard and tackled Brook to the ground.

"Pygmy! Now is not the time!" Nana yelled as she pulled the dog off her back.

Then she turned around so she could face the marines. Her eyes narrowed and she grabbed the hammer off her back before jumping high into the air.

_Bang! Thwack!_

"Who the fuck do you think you're aiming?!" she shouted as she batted away a mortar bomb. It went sailing back to where it came from, demolishing its own mortar trench.

"Ah, thank you, Nana-san," Brook started to say.

"IF YOU HURT EVEN A SINGLE HAIR ON PYGMY'S HEAD, THERE WILL BE HELL TO PAY!" Nana roared as she pointed her hammer at the marines.

"You did it for the dog and not for us?!" Usopp cried exasperatedly.

Nana stepped onto her waterboard and put her goggles back over her eyes. "I think we should get to Luffy."

"You're not even going to deny it?!" Usopp seethed from behind.

She sped forward on her waterboard with Pygmy next to her. The rest of her nakama quickly caught up to her and they gathered around their captain.

"Oy, Luffy!" Chopper shouted to Luffy.

Luffy turned and grinned at his nakama as he cracked his knuckles. "Oh! There you are! Alright. I think it's time for us to go. Ikuzo!"

"Yosh!" his crew cheered as they raced towards the incoming marines.

"Guys, look over there!" Sanji called and he pointed into the distance at the unmistakable silhouette of the head of the Rosy Life Riders .

"Oy! Young Master!" Duvall shouted, waving his arms in the air frantically, "We're all set to escape! Right, men?"

His group of henchmen jumped and clapped from behind the tree. "Yes! Life is rosy!"

Nana snorted. "I thought he didn't want to be targeted by marines."

"Idiots," Sanjii muttered back, "They're all idiots but at least they're dependable."

"Alright! Let's go!" Luffy commanded.

They raced towards Duvall with a group of marines coming at them to stop their escape. Nana raced forward as she reached into her pocket and pulled out the ticking mechanism from Camie's collar. She wove through a few of the marines and clipped the mechanism onto the back of one of their shirts.

"We won't let you get away!" the marines shouted at her but then froze when they heard the ticking sound.

_Tick. Tick. Tick._

"AHHHH!" they screamed, "She planted a bomb! Where is it? Where is it?!"

"Eeek! It's coming from you!" one of them shouted.

The ticking began to increase. _Tick! Tick! Tick! Tick! Tick! Tick!_

"Ahhhh!" the marines screamed as they all ducked for cover. Then everything fell silent and they looked up in surprise with the Straw Hats already far away.

"Idiots," Nana scoffed as she rode away, "It's just the timer."

"Ahhh, Nana is so crafty!" Sanji cooed from her side.

The Straw Hats ran past Grove #1 and each jumped off the tree root into the backseat of a Flying Fish with Franky and the old man jumping onto the bull with Duvall with Hatchi, Camie, and Pappagu.

"Can you let me drive?" Nana asked eagerly to the Rider in front of her, while Pygmy rode with another Rider, "You can hold my waterboard."

"How is that a fair trade?! And you crashed the last one! It's a good thing it knew it's way back to the water or else it would've died!" the Rider snapped at her.

Nana frowned, "No, it wouldn't have. I landed it so that-"

"Stop making excuses! You're not driving this one!"


	49. The Latest Upgrade

The Straw Hats rested in the old man's bar in Grove #13 called Shakky's Rip Off Bar. Shakky was the woman who ran it and the old man was the silent partner. Nana was in the backroom with Chopper so that he could treat her shoulder wound. Pygmy sat beside her throughout the process with his head on her lap.

"My, my," Shakky mused as she stood by the door, smoking a cigarette, "How did you get all those scars?"

Nana grinned despite feeling the burning pain of Chopper's disinfectant. "Through hard work and dedication," she said.

Shakky chuckled. "You know, out of all the twelve supernovas, I'm most intrigued by you."

Nana blinked back at Shakky. "Why?"

Shakky smiled in a way that reminded Nana of Robin, mature and composed. "Because you came out of nowhere and you have the highest initial bounty the world has ever seen..."

"You didn't have a history of violence and it didn't seem like you did that much damage to Ennies Lobby to warrant that exorbitant amount for a first bounty," Shakky theorized. She walked towards Nana and knelt down so they were eye level. "I can't help but think that it's because you have something the government wants...Or something the government doesn't want _you_ to have."

Nana gulped and instinctively moved her metal gloved hand slightly away from the woman. "I'm just a mechanic in a pirate crew," she said.

Shakky laughed. "So you won't tell me the big secret about how your glove works?" She laughed again at the wary look on Nana's face, "Don't worry. I'm just curious. I don't mean you any harm. I like to stay informed."

"Shakky is very nice," Chopper prompted, "You can trust her."

Nana looked over at her nakama and then she took a deep breath before returning her attention to the bar owner.

"It's just a magnet," Nana admitted honestly, "I don't see what the big deal is, either. Anybody with a basic understanding of magnetic fields could make one. A child could make it."

"Nana's glove is amazing," Chopper chimed in, "She's even starting to be able to tap into the magnetic energy of the sea!"

"Oh, that is amazing," Shakky commented.

"Chopper," Nana hissed, "You're not supposed to tell people that. The less people know about my glove the better."

"Eeek! Sorry!" Chopper shrieked and clamped his hooves over his mouth.

Shakky chuckled and folded her arms over her chest. "Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me. So tell me, when did you first make your glove?"

Nana wasn't sure where she was going with this. "I was 8," she said, "Or at least I think I was 8. It was a year after I got to Water 7."

Shakky smoked her cigarette. "So this was...what? 9? 10 years ago?"

Nana shrugged, "More or less."

"Which is it?" she pressed gently.

Nana closed her eyes and tried to think hard. It was definitely before her first workable cannon but not before she had made her first hammer so that would make it…

"8 years and 10 months ago," she finally said.

Shakky smiled. "I didn't mean for you to answer in that much detail." She then tilted her head and studied Nana a lot more thoroughly than she had before. "And you said this was after you got to Water 7? I thought you were from Water 7. What were you doing before?"

"I am from Water 7," Nana said tersely. She turned to Chopper. "Am I done?"

"Ah," Chopper said as he quickly finished up tying her bandages, "Yes, you can go now."

She got up to her feet and pulled her shirt over her bandages. She was over this conversation and all of these questions. She marched out of the room, closing the door firmly behind her.

Shakky glanced over at Chopper, unfazed by Nana's reaction. "Do you know her story?" Shakky asked.

Chopper nodded, "Yeah but Nana doesn't remember anything so we don't know much either."

"Tell me what you know," Shakky said as she smiled at the Chopper, "And I'll give you some cotton candy in return."

* * *

"Ah! Nana!" Hatchi shouted when Nana returned to the front of the bar, "Are you feeling okay? I'm so sorry you got hurt because of me!"

"Oh please. I'd do it all again if I could," Nana replied with a grin as she took a seat next to Sanji on the bench while Pygmy laid down under the table to sleep, "I'm just mad I wasn't the one who got to punch him out."

She looked up at Sanji as he brushed a hand delicately over her bandaged shoulder. "Even you got to kick that guy's dad in the face," Nana pouted.

Sanji scowled at the reminder as he put an arm around her shoulder to draw her in closer to him, "He pointed a gun in your direction. Of course I had to kick him."

"I believe he had aimed it at Luffy," Nana mused.

"Yeah, well you were directly behind him so it could've grazed you," Sanji muttered.

"Shishishishi," Luffy laughed and he helped himself to the contents in the fridge, "Sorry, Nana. You can get the next one."

He then turned to the old man, who was seated at the bar. "So, old man. What is it that you wanted to tell me?"

"Let me introduce myself," the old man said with a grin as he poured himself a hefty drink, "I'm Silvers Raleigh, former vice-captain of Gol D. Roger's Ship."

The Straw Hats gaped at him while their captain took a less subtle approach.

"AHHHHHHH!" he screamed, "On the Pirate King's ship?!"

"Nice to meet you," Silvers Raleigh continued.

Usopp made it a point to take a big mouthful of his drink before spraying it out for dramatic effect.

"Oh, you didn't tell him, Hatchan?" Shakky asked the octopus as she came out of the room with a satisfied look on her face.

"We only needed him to do the coating so…" Hatchi said with embarrassment.

"Oh, you didn't realize?" Robin asked.

"You knew?!" Usopp sputtered.

"I thought the marines caught the entire pirate crew," Nana said to Rayleigh bluntly, "How did you manage to keep your head?"

"Nana!" the Straw Hats gasped.

Raleighs grinned, "We weren't caught. Roger turned himself in."

"What?!"

"The government made it sound like they caught him to instill the image of power," Rayleighs explained.

"But...why would the King of Pirates turn himself him?" Nami asked.

"Because we saw an end to our journey…," Raleigh said as he stirred his drink, "When he conquered the Grand Line...It wasn't until he was captured did they call him the King of Pirates. Titles mean nothing for a man about to die, but Roger was overjoyed. He liked to do everything in a flashy way, whether it was celebrating or fighting. He even seemed to enjoy planning the future, even if he wasn't a part of it."

The old pirate lowered his head. "Eventually, as per captain's orders, the Roger Pirates were secretly disbanded," he recalled, "One by one, everyone discretely left. Then about a year after we disbanded, Roger turned himself in and he was executed in Loguetown, where he was born. The public execution that was supposed to serve as an example for other pirates instead became the opening ceremony for the Great Pirate Age!"

Raleigh smiled sadly to himself. "In the last few seconds of his life, he changed the dimming flame of his life into a hellfire that spread across the world. I've never laughed as much as I did that night...Nor have I ever cried as much. Our captain lived one hell of a life."

"That sounds like…" Usopp whispered, "Like he started the Great Pirate Era on purpose."

"That we still can't say...but...Roger is dead," Raleigh said bluntly, "Only the people living now can create this era. There were people who witnessed his death firsthand that became great pirates today."

He turned to Luffy, "Like your friend Shanks and the East Blue pirate, Buggy. The two of them were apprentices on our ship."

"EH?!" Luffy almost dropped the leg of meat he was holding, "Shanks was on the Pirate King's ship?!"

"Didn't he tell you?" Raleigh asked, "He's the one that told me about you. Ever since I heard about you, I've wanted to meet you."

Luffy excitedly pulled his Straw Hat over his eyes like a delighted child. "Shanks…"

"Now then...let's get down to business," Raleigh said as he got up to his feet, "You wanted your ship coated right?"

"How much would it cost?" Both Nami and Nana asked automatically.

Nami looked at Nana in surprise and Nana grinned back at her. "I was in the shipbuilding business. You think I don't know how to negotiate with fellow craftsmen?"

Raleigh laughed, "I can't take money from friends of Hatchi, especially one that just took a bullet for him."

"Wow, you're very generous!" Nana breathed as Nami clapped her hand in delight.

Suddenly, Robin, who had been sitting quietly the entire time, jumped to her feet.

"Rayleigh-san," she said in a very stern voice that took Nana off-guard, "What exactly is the 'Will of D'?"

Nana tilted her head in confusion. _Will of D?_

"Roger's name was engraved on a Poneglyph I saw on a sky island. How was he able to use that writing?" Robin demanded, "Do you know what happened to the world during the Blank Century that began 900 years ago?"

"Ah, yes we know," Rayleigh said with a grin, "We learned the entirety of history. But...Miss… You musn't hurry. We...and Ohara...might have hurried a bit too much. Even if I told you everything about history right here, you still wouldn't be able to do anything as you are now. Once you've taken the time to see the world, it's possible you'll be led to a different answer than we were. I could tell you right now...but wouldn't you want to figure it out for yourself?"

Robin closed her eyes and contemplated the old pirate's words. She let out a soft smile. "You're right. I'll continue on my journey."

"It will all come into sight someday," Rayleigh promised, "However, Roger didn't decipher the writing. We're pirates, not scholars like Clover and the people of Ohara. He heard the voice of the universe, that's all."

"Wait! Are you sure you don't want to know?" Usopp interjected, "He's right there! He can tell us! Hey, old guy! I have one more thing I want to ask! THe legendary great treasure, One Piece, is it-"

"USOOOOOOPPPPPPPP!" Luffy screamed as he leapt to the top of the bar, "I don't wanna know where the treasure is! I don't want to know if the treasure exists or not! We've put all our lives on the line and set out to sea even though we didn't know anything! I'd rather give up being a pirate right here right now than have the old guy tell us about the treasure! I refuse to go on a boring adventure so don't say anymore!"

Nana chuckled as she rested her head against Sanji's shoulder.

"Do you think you can do it?" Rayleigh asked Luffy with a grin, "The Grand Line still far surpasses anything you can imagine. The foes will be greater too. Are you sure you can rule it?"

Luffy grinned back. "I don't want to rule anything. Only the freest person in this sea can be called the King of Pirates."

"I really am a fan of yours, Monkey-chan," Shakky said with a grin and then she aimed that same smile over to Nana, "And I can't wait to see what you do, Mizu-chan."

Nana suddenly felt very embarrassed at Shakky's vote of confidence. _Does this woman have a crush on me or something?!_

"Well, then, it's back to work," Rayleigh said as he headed for the door, "Your ship is in Grove #41, was it? I think I'll head over there." He turned to the Straw Hats, "What would you guys do? There could be an admiral on these islands as we speak."

"We'll only be a nuisance if we stay here," Nami stated, "So maybe we should go shopping somewhere?"

"Amusement Park!" Sanji roared as he got up to his feet and he hurriedly pulled Nana up as well, "Nana and I are going on a date!"

"What is this laid back attitude?!" Usopp shrieked, "We are not here as visitors anymore! We're being chased! We gotta hide, you idiots!"

"Yeah, the people chasing us might show up if we all stay together," Franky said, "It'll help Rayleigh finish the work more smoothly if we lay low in town."

Nana shot her hand up to get everyone's attention. "Actually, I wanted to go with Rayleigh to the ship," she looked over at the old man, "If...that's alright with you."

Rayleigh laughed. "I always welcome the company of young women."

"Oy! Don't take advantage of Nana just because-" Sanji started to sputter but Nana knocked him lightly on the head.

"Don't be rude," she scolded, "He's helping us after all."

"Yeah, Sanji-kun!" Nami chimed in, "And for free too."

Zoro sighed and put his hands behind his head, "Then it's settled. We'll just split up and then meet back there when he's all done."

"Who're _you_ to talk strategically about meeting up and stuff like that?" Sanji asked with a raised eyebrow.

Rayleigh looked over to his partner. "Shakky, do we have one left?"

Shakky nodded and she pulled out a piece of paper from under the bar. She handed it to the closest Straw Hat to her, which happened to be the navigator.

"This is a Vivre Card!" Nami gasped.

"Oh, if you know what it is, that simplifies things," Rayleigh said, "Since I'm a bit notorious myself-"

"Wow, understatement," Nana scoffed, "You're probably the most wanted out of all of us here."

Rayleigh laughed. "I'll move your ship from Grove #41 to somewhere else before I start on it. I'll need 3 days to complete the coating."

"Three whole days?!" the Straw Hats gasped.

"Your life depends on this work. It's the fastest I can go," Rayleigh said with a smile.

"But..but does that mean I won't get to see Nana for three whole days?!" Sanji whined.

Nana pointed at Pygmy, "I got him. He can track your scent just fine. I just want to know how the coating process works. Once I get an idea, I'll come find you."

Pygmy barked and wagged his tail. The Straw Hats ripped the Vivre Card so that each of them, including Nana, could have a piece. They said goodbye to Nana and Rayleigh before everyone waved goodbye to Hatchi, Camie, Pappagu, and Shakky.

Nana and Rayleigh walked in the opposite direction as the rest of her crew and Nana was surprised that the old man's pace was quite leisure. "Rayleigh…" she said, "Shouldn't we hurry just in case the marines come?"

"There's no marines near us," Rayleigh replied, "I could assure you but...I think you already know that too."

Nana tilted her head in confusion, "I don't understand."

Rayleigh looked over at her. "Have you always been able to detect when and where an attack would happen?"

Nana stopped short. "What?"

Rayleigh smiled. "Back at the Auction House. You were able to hit away a cannon for your friends."

'Oh," Nana laughed, "I heard it. I've always been sensitive to the sounds of weapons and engines...I guess it's just a trick of the trade that I picked up for being a mechanic for so long. And...that was a mortar, not a cannon."

Now it was Rayleigh's turn to laugh. "Sorry, sorry. My mistake." Then he lowered his head and stood very still. "Do you hear what's going on now?" he asked in a serious tone.

Nana stopped once again and she blinked back at him. "Huh?"

Rayleigh, without looking up, grinned back. "Can't you feel what's going on?"

Nana looked at him curiously and then sighed when it was obvious he wasn't going to move until she did. She closed her eyes and focused on the sounds around her. There were sounds of the bubbles rising from the ground and popping overhead, the dull roar of the sea swaying and crashing beneath the roots, and then just faintly, she could hear the sounds of explosions and gunfire.

"I hear guns and cannons...but nothing-"

"Have you ever tried listening for voices instead of machines?" Rayleigh prompted.

Nana lifted her head slowly. "What?"

"Try listening for your crew's voice."

Nana raised an eyebrow but then relaxed her face and closed her eyes. _Okay...Listening out for my crew's voice…_

She concentrated and focused her mind. She forced herself to block out the sound of the bubbles...the birds...the cannons. _Robin's voice...Nami's voice...Usopp...Franky...Zoro...Sanji...Luff-_

" _ZORO!"_

" _That idiot-"_

" _Hoofprint! Blizzard Rose!"_

Nana couldn't believe her ears. _I can...I can hear them?!_

" _Chopper!"_

" _Strong Hammer!"_

Her eyes flew open when she realized what exactly she was hearing and and she whirled around towards Rayleigh. "Rayleigh! I need to go and-"

Her words were cut short when she realized that the old man wasn't there anymore and he had left without her. _Did he know? How?!_

She looked down at Pygmy and she quickly jumped onto his back. Now was not the time to think about the old pirate. "Pygmy, find Luffy!" she ordered as they sprinted off, "They're under attack!"

* * *

"Luffy! Sanji! Everyone!" Nana shouted as Pygmy ran around a mangrove and they came into view of her nakama.

"Nana!" the Straw Hats cried back.

Pygmy skidded to a halt and Nana immediately climbed off his back. "What...what is going on?!" she asked as she took in the scene before her.

Everyone was sitting on the floor, gasping for breath, and looking terribly worn out. Her captain had shrunk to his miniature size and there was someone on the ground a few feet away.

Nana's eyes moved over towards it and her eyes widened. "K-K-Kuma?! You guys took down Kuma?"

"No, Nana-brat, look more closely," Franky panted, "It's a cyborg who looks just like Bartholomew Kuma. The most natural possibility is that he was a twin brother or a super look-alike who was modified."

Sanji slowly got up to his feet and walked over to the fallen cyborg. "PX-4…?" he murmured.

Nana walked over to him and saw that "PX-4" was tattooed on the neck of the cyborg. "There wasn't one when Kuma came...Which means, there's three more of these out here somewhere," she said and then turned to the group, "There's a lot of explosions going on in this island. I have a feeling we're not the only ones the marines are trying to arrest."

"It wasn't an arrest attempt, Nana," Sanji said quietly as he lit a new cigarette, "They were trying to take us out...We need to hide before more of them come."

Nana stiffened and she looked straight up at the tree above. "They're already here," she said as she turned the dial on her wrist.

"What?!" the Straw Hats gasped, following Nana's gaze.

"You guys got some nerve!" a voice called down from the trees.

"Hoisa!" the voice called before leaping off of the branch with another person and they came crashing down onto the ground. "Oy, you're a disgrace, PX-4. It costs as much as an entire warship to build one Pacifista like you."

"Pacifista?" Nana asked out loud and then she gasped at the sight of the second person.

It was another Kuma-looking cyborg and it was standing next to the speaker, who was a stocky man with short black hair and wore a red bib that was secured around his waist with a thick red and white rope. He carried a battle axe that was bigger than his own body.

"The Warlord of the Sea is here!" Chopper shrieked.

"Is it the real one or the cyborg?!" Usopp yelled.

"Cyborg," Nana replied automatically, "The sound of his landing...It was too heavy for it to be Kuma."

The speaker raised an eyebrow. "Oh...you have a very unique talent." Then his eyes fell on her glove, "But I shouldn't be surprised since you were the one who invented _that_."

Nana reached for her hammer. "Want to have a taste, Battle Axe?"

Sanji held out an arm to stop her from moving forward. "We don't have enough strength left to fight them, Nana," he warned under his breath so only she could hear.

"How dare you call people by their weapons' names," Battle Axe stated, "It's no use asking me questions. I ain't gotta tell you nothing. I got the toughest defense in the world and the most tight-lipped."

"You can at least tell us your name!" Usopp shouted exasperatedly.

"I have no reason to answer anything," Battle Axe insisted, "I already told you, I'm Sentomaru, the most tight-lipped guy in the world!"

"So you're Sentomaru," Usopp said as he folded his arms and nodded with satisfaction.

The man's eyes widened but then it returned to being a scowl. "Just so you know, I voluntarily told you that. I wasn't answering your question."

"What an unpleasant man," Nana couldn't help but scoff.

"Let's begin, PX-1!" Sentomaru ordered and the cyborg behind him began to power up.

"You guys go on ahead, I can at least-" Nana started to say but Sanji quickly grabbed her by the hand and ran out of the way.

"His power is different, Nana!" he yelled just as beams shot out of the cyborg's body, creating a large explosion where he stood, "He shoots beams from his palms."

Nana gaped at the fiery smoke and dust that bloomed through the air. "What the hell?!" she yelled and then her eyes fell on Zoro, who was sweating profusely and looked like he was struggling. _His wounds from Thriller Bark! They're not healed yet._

She scrambled over to him. "Zoro, are you-"

"It looks like, we need to get away from here," Luffy ordered to his nakama, "But not all together. We'll split into groups!" He looked over at Sanji and Zoro, "The three of us should split up."

Sanji nodded and then looked over at the swordsman, "You gonna be okay?"

"Shut up, I'll be fine!" Zoro snarled back.

Nana got up to her feet and started to run with Pygmy at her side. She noticed Nami was running near them too. "Nami! Get on Pygmy! He's faster."

"Thank you!" Nami shouted as she jumped onto Pygmy's back.

"Yosh! I'm going with Nana and Nami-swannnn!" Sanji cried joyously as he ran after the two ladies, "Nami-swan, Nana and I will protect you even if it costs us our life!"

"Don't sacrifice yourself for me, Prince Charming," Nana yelled exasperatedly.

"Why won't you be protecting me, Nana?!" Nami shouted back.

Franky started to catch up to the group. "Ow! Nana-brat, I'm coming with you too."

"Guys! Meet on the Sunny in three days!" Luffy yelled loudly as he ran off in the other direction with Chopper and Robin.

"DUCK!" Nana cried as she lowered her head just as a beam of light shot out from behind and blew up a tree in front of them.

"Shit! Here he comes," Sanji shouted as the cyborg appeared before their eyes. The cyborg began to power up again and started to lift his hand towards them. Nana grabbed her hammer.

"Hammerang!" she shouted. The hammer flew out and hit his hand up. The beam shot into the air, creating a burning ball of fire in the sky.

"ZORO!" Luffy's cry came from the other side of the trees. Nana and her group looked over and gasped when they saw a man standing on top of Zoro's body with a light coming out from his foot.

"Oy...That man shoots beams too! This isn't good! Do something!" Franky gasped, "At that distance, the beams'll kill him."

"Is he a cyborg?" Nana asked, "Or is he...human?"

"Why does it super matter now?!" Franky asked.

"Because I need to know how I can stop him!" Nana cried.

Usopp and Brook, who was with Zoro, started to attack the man but their weapons went through the man.

Nana's mind was racing just as fast as her feet as she sprinted towards Zoro. Her nakama was only a few seconds away from death and several meters away from her. Her mind, body, and soul was lasered in on the swordsman and getting him to safety. Getting _all of them_ to safety. Then suddenly, everything turned quiet and loud at the same time. The world's noises seemed to fade away completely but Nana could hear everything the people around her was saying as if they were right next to her.

"Nana! Come back!" she heard Sanji say.

"Zoro's about to die!" Usopp and Chopper shrieked from a distance.

"You bastard…" Zoro growled from the floor.

"That's not going to work," Nana heard the man say, "I'm made of light. I'm a Logia."

"Devil fruit. Not cyborg. That's all I need to know," Nana said as she turned the dial on her glove even more and raced towards the man, "Nana Special!"

"ZORO!" Chopper and Luffy screamed.

"That shitty morimo already at his limit," Nana could hear Sanji mutter from behind her, "What is Nana going to do?"

"Nana's not going to make it in time," Nana could hear Nami gasp.

"Sea Wave!" Nana yelled as she moved her hand forward.

A surge of energy shot out from around her, with her hand as its center, and the shockwave flew through the man. It unleashed a high powered frequency that was the same energy as the sea. His leg immediately turned back into its original form and the light went out instantly. The man fell to his knees weakly just as Nana sank to hers. The Straw Hats were also caught in the blast too. Robin, Brook, Luffy, and Chopper all fell to the floor.

"Wh-wh-what did you do?" the light man gasped at Nana.

"Ow! Nana-brat!" Franky shouted from behind, "What was that?!"

Nana panted heavily as she tried to focus her mind. The shockwave was not without its side effects and her heart had taken most of the blow.

"Did I...," she grunted under her breath as she grabbed Zoro by the hand and struggled to drag him away from the light man, "Not tell you…? About my latest upgrade?"


	50. A Trip

Nana fell down to the ground, dropping her hold on Zoro after dragging him only ten meters away from the light man. She turned to look back at their attacker, who was slowly getting back up to his feet.

"You have an interesting weapon," the light man said coolly as he sauntered over to Nana, taking his time.

"I get that a lot…" Nana grunted back as she reached over to grab for Zoro again.

"Nana...just leave me and go…" the swordsman growled.

"I felt like I was in the sea for a second there," the light man continued to say, "That was quite an experience. And you did it all to save your friend?"

"Nana! Get out of there! Take Zoro and go!" Luffy screamed.

"Y-You think I don't want to, you idiot?" Nana muttered to her captain.

"Ah, is that the consequences of your power?" the light man said with a contemplative look on his face, "My...that is quite the draw back."

Nana felt someone grab her from under her arms and started to pull her away from the light man at a very fast speed. Zoro got the same treatment as well. She looked over and saw Usopp and Brook.

"Yohoho, sorry we're late, Nana-san," Brook laughed.

"Sorry, I just became another burden for you guys," Nana said, "This is what happens when I don't get to test out my weapons first before taking it out on a field test."

"You've saved your friends once." The light man suddenly appeared in front of them, blocking their way. He lifted his leg up again and it began to emit light once more, "But can you save him again?"

Nana raised her hand up again. "I can...try…"

"Nana, no! You don't know what the consequences are!" Usopp shrieked.

From where Sanji stood, everything happened in slow motion. The light man's foot was powering up once more while Nana, his precious Nana, was starting to raise her hand to stop him again. Even from a distance, he could tell that the first counterattack had taken a major toll on her. To do again would surely be lethal.

Sanji started to run towards her, knowing full well by the time he got there, it would be too late but before he could get two steps in, Rayleigh appeared out of nowhere and redirected the man's light up into the air with a kick of his foot while turning Nana's dial with his hand. The beam of light exploded over their heads and turned the sky red for just a brief moment.

" _You're_ getting involved in this," the light man asked with a raised eyebrow, "'Dark King' Rayleigh?"

"Don't be plucking these young sprouts! Their era is just about to begin," Rayleigh replied with his usual grin.

"OLD GUY!" Luffy shouted with relief.

Sanji finally remembered to breathe and he inhaled a long sharp breath. _Thank god. Thank god. They're safe._

"Are you defending these chicklings because they are pirates, even if you aren't what you once were, Rayleigh-san?" the light man asked the old pirate.

"I would be able to retire freely and peacefully," Rayleigh replied, "if you people would kindly take down my wanted posters."

"H-How did he stop him just now?" Nana muttered as she stared hard at Rayleigh, "What is his power?"

"How did _you_ stop him, Nana-san?" Brook asked, "And why did I feel so weak from it?'

"I did some tests on magnetic fields of Sea Prism Stones," Nana replied in a hush tone, "I found a way to emit the same frequency as the sea."

"Now is not the time to talk shop!" Usopp hissed back.

"Brook! Usopp!" Luffy exclaimed, "Take Zoro and Nana and run! Everyone focus on escaping. As we are now, we can't beat these guys!"

"Right!" Usopp said as they started to run forward with Nana and Zoro in tow.

"Nana!" Sanji shouted after her.

"Just run! Take Pygmy! He'll know how to find me!" Nana yelled back at him.

"Seems like the old man really saved us this time," Usopp said with a sigh of relief as he lifted Zoro onto his back while Brook took Nana on his.

"P...Put me down," Zoro gasped, "I'm letting you get away."

"Don't be stupid! You're even more useless than me right now," Usopp snapped, "We're escaping together."

"Then let me down," Nana demanded, "I can buy you guys some time."

"Do you both have some kind of death wish?" Brook asked and then he laughed, "Although, I can't say much because I'm already dead. Yohohoho!"

"Do you guys not hear it?" Nana asked solemnly, "He's already locked on to us."

"What?! Who?!" Brook and Usopp asked as they started to run even faster.

"Me...the cyborg...or Pacifista..or whatever you want to call him...he's locked onto me!" Nana grunted as she mustered all her strength to leap off of Brook's back, "Hammerang!"

She did a backflip while throwing her hammer straight out and the hammer went crashing into the cyborg that was rushing towards them. It knocked his hand to his side while her hammer came sailing back.

She smirked but then realized he had already powered up his other hand and he had it already pointed at her. "Shit...You're smarter than you look," she muttered as the beam shot out of his hand.

"Woof woof!"

_Boom!_

She felt something heavy shove her out of the way just as the ground next to her exploded from the beam. Her eyes widened when the smoke and dust cleared to reveal Sanji and Pygmy's wounded bodies.

"Sanji?!...Pygmy?!"

"Run, Nana," he coughed, "Just go."

"Nana!" Usopp and Brook shouted back at her. They had both fallen from the aftershock of the beam and Zoro laid on the ground a few feet in front of them.

Sanji let out a small smile. "Looks like...I finally got to save _you_ for a change."

"S-S-Sanji…Pyg..." Nana could barely speak as she looked at the two. She reached out her two hands to touch the both of them and then she froze when she heard the thudding footsteps of the cyborg. She lifted her head and rage took over her body.

"You…." she seethed as she leapt high into the air, adrenaline taking over her nervous system, "How dare you!"

The cyborg caught her by the throat and she struggled against his hold. She pounded her hammer against his arm but it only caused her to create holes in his jacket, exposing the wires and metal underneath. His grip was unaffected as he began to power up his beam again.

"Nana!" she heard Usopp scream from behind as his beam shot directly threw her body and she was sent flying back.

"You bastard!" Sanji grunted as he watched her crash into the ground.

"I-I-I'm not dead," Nana rasped as she clenched her fists to the side. She forced herself to sit up, even though every part of her body screamed against it, and she got up to her feet. "It'll take more than that to kill me...And believe me, many people have tried," she continued as she took another step towards the cyborg, dragging her hammer behind her.

"Nana-san! You can't even lift your hammer," Brook protested, "Don't-"

"Death has already made it clear multiple times that he doesn't fucking want me…so I have no intention of trying to meet him again." Nana stopped short and turned to someone approaching from behind. A hollow smirk spread across her lips as she faced the newcomer. "And you've also made it pretty clear that you don't want me dead either."

Usopp, Sanji, Zoro, and Brook all looked over in horror as the real Bartolomeo Kuma stood before them with his bible in hand and a stern look on his face.

"Stand down, PX-1," he ordered calmly at his replica without taking his eyes off of Nana.

Zoro struggled to get up to his feet and only managed to kneel. Kuma tore his gaze away from the mechanic and he studied the swordsman.

"So...you're still alive, Roronoa Zoro?" he asked calmly.

"Thanks...to your mercy…" Zoro growled.

"Oy, you guys. This is no time to talk. We should run!" Usopp shouted.

Kuma took off his glove. "If you wanted to go on a trip, where would you go?" he asked.

Nana's eyes widened as he swiped his paw at Zoro and Zoro vanished from their eyes.

"Z-Z-Z-Zoro!" Usopp screamed.

"Zoro-san!" Brook shouted.

"What the hell did you do?!" Nana roared.

"Say something!" Usopp shrieked, "Where did you send Zoro?!"

Kuma said nothing as he started to walk towards them. Nana heard the unmistakable sounds of another beam powering up from behind them and she turned to see that the PX-1 was charging up for another attack. "Watch out!" she cried.

Without warning, Kuma appeared in front of them. "Stay out of the way," he stated and swiped his paw. The PX-1 vanished from sight.

"He just...erased his own ally?" Sanji gasped.

"You guys! Run! Think things over after you're safe! Just escape now!" Luffy shouted from the side.

Nana's eyes glazed over as she looked panickingly around her. Luffy was at a standstill with Sentomaru. Chopper had taken three rumble balls and was in his uncontrollable monster form, while Robin was desperately trying to get out of his way. Franky and Nami were too far away for her to see them. God knows where Zoro was. Brook and Usopp were also in a frantic state. Then her eyes fell on Pygmy and Sanji, who were severely wounded...because of her.

Suddenly, her mind seemed to thunder with a thousand different voices and sounds. Her head felt like it was about to split open and she instinctively covered her ears with her hands but it was no use. She could hear hysterical cries, frantic whispers, shouts of pain, and explosions. The entire island was in her head and ringing in her ears.

"Bepo!" she heard a man shout.

"It's the Navy! Run!" she heard someone else hiss.

"Ahhh! We're going to die!"

Nana doubled over, still clutching her head, as the noise seemed to get louder and louder. "Stop it…" she pleaded to everyone and no one at the same time, "Shut up...Just everyone shut up...and stop it."

"STOP IT!" she screamed.

"Nana?!" Sanji hurriedly dragged himself over to her and he held her head to his chest. "What's going on? What's happening?"

"So many...deaths…" Nana whimpered as she started to cry from the pain she felt in her head and her heart. She could hear the last breaths of people escaping from their lips, "I can hear them...I can hear them!"

She clutched Sanji's shirt tightly in her fist. "Make it stop...oh god...make it stop."

Sanji glared over at Kuma. "What the hell did you do to her?!" he demanded, his voice a mix of fury and alarm.

"This is not me," the Warlord replied solemnly back, "I assure you, she is doing that all on her own." He then lifted his hand. "But I can make it stop."

"Get away from her!" Sanji roared. Blinded by fear and rage, he charged forward to the Warlord with his leg high up in the air.

Kuma easily deflected Sanji's kick and sent him crashing to the side.

"Sanji!" Usopp and Brook screamed.

Nana collapsed back onto the ground as she stared numbingly at the cloud of dust that sprang around Sanji. The voices were deafening and it paralyzed her. She could even hear Kuma coming closer and closer to her.

Then she heard a growl and Pygmy's four paws came into view directly in front of her eyes. She reached a shaky hand towards her pet, who stood protectively in front of her. "No...Pygmy...Stand down…" she whispered hoarsely.

She grabbed his fur and he bent down to lick her face. As his head lowered, two things came into view. The first was Sanji, getting back on his feet and running back to her with his hand outstretched and a look of sheer terror on his face. On instinct, her hand moved towards him even though he was several meters away. Then, Kuma's huge, puffy, paw came into view and it was coming right for her and Pygmy.

_Pop!_

The last conscious thought that came to Nana as she flew through the skies with Pygmy by her side was that Kuma was right. He did stop the noise.

* * *

Nana woke up in the middle of a beach. To be exact, she woke up in the middle of a deep paw print indentation on a beach. She woke up with her lips chapped from the sun and she wondered how long she had been asleep. She blinked as she listened to the sounds around her. It was calm and tranquil. She could hear the sounds of soft waves coming in, sea birds flying overhead, and the rustling of leaves in the wind. No voices. Not even in her head.

Then she sat up immediately when she realized that Pygmy was nowhere to be found. There was nothing but sand, a few rocks, crashing waves, palm trees, seagulls overhead, and a lush mountain behind her.

"Pygmy?!" she screamed as she scrambled to her feet, "PYGMY?!"

"Woof! Woof!"

Off in the distance, she heard the familiar barking and she exhaled, releasing the tension in her whole body. She moved her hand to the pendant and she clutched the steel heart tightly as she waited for her pet to return.

Her eyes widened when she saw that Pygmy was not alone. In fact, a kid was riding on top of him. It was a child that looked no bigger than Chopper. He had tan brown skin, dark black hair, and he wore seashells around his neck and arms. His tropical pink shirt was unbuttoned with bright yellow flowers printed all over it and it waved in the wind as Pygmy came bounding closer and closer.

As soon as he got close enough, Nana quickly pulled the child off of her pet and she lifted him so that she could glare at him nose to nose. "Oy, kid," she said sternly, "No one gets to ride my dog but me, got it?"

He laughed, unaffected by her glare, "Okay, sister."

Nana scoffed and dropped him into the side. "I'm not your sister," she muttered as she knelt down to examine her pet. "Oy, Pyg, don't run off like that. You scared me!"

He licked her nose and she chuckled before returning the gesture. She turned to the child, who was relaxing on the sand and making sand angels with his arms and legs. "Where am I?"

"You're here," the child laughed.

"Listen, kid, I really don't have time for this. Where are we? How do I get back to Sabaody Archipelago?" Nana demanded.

The child sat up and smiled happily back at her. "All good, sister! It's time to shaka!"

Nana put her hands to her eyes. "Either I'm crazy or this kid is. I think Kuma dropped me on crazy island." She decided to try again and she stared hard at the kid.

"Okay...Where...are...we?" she enunciated every letter.

"Shaka time! It's shaka time!"

"Come on, my brothers and sisters! Let's go!"

"Oh! I hope we get some choice waves today."

She heard the people in her head before she actually saw them. The noise in her head seemed to be softer than what she had heard at Sabaody and it didn't pain her at all. She turned just in time to see a hundred or so people run past her with big, wooden surfboards in hand. Everyone of them clad in brightly colored bathing suits. They were men and women of all different ages. They didn't even seem to be bothered by Nana's presence at all. The ones who ran directly past her either gave her a grin when their eyes' met, gave her a pat on the back, or held up a hand with just their thumb and pinky finger extended out to her.

"What?" Nana asked out loud as the kid leapt to his feet and started to stomp around.

He did the same gesture, with the thumb and pinky out, and he thrust his hand in the air. "Shaka!" he yelled.

"SHAKA!" the crowd cheered back in unison, returning the gesture while running towards the sea.

Nana didn't know what to make of it. "What the…"

The seemingly calm sea water around the beach seemed to explode up the sky, creating monster high waves. The people started to kneel on their boards and paddle towards the water, surfing their way back to the island.

Nana noticed a little boy, not much bigger than the child that Pygmy had brought back, was standing on top of a surfboard with shaky legs. He was riding one of the bigger waves and he toppled into the water, getting lost among seafoam and crashing waves.

"Holy-" Nana cried out as she ran towards the child but then she froze when a man rode past on his surfboard and quickly pulled the child out of the water. The child stood at the tip of the man's surfboard and lifted his hand into the air.

"Shaka!" he cheered.

"Shaka!" Everyone else responded back.

Nana shook her head and then looked over at the child on the beach, who was doing some sort of odd dance. He was stomping his feet and pounding his chest while puffing up his cheeks. "Shaka! Shaka!" he kept grunting.

His eyes caught Nana's and he straightened up to a standing position before beaming at her. "It's shaka time!"

Nana couldn't help but laugh at this ridiculous situation. "Okay, fine, it's shaka time."

She sat back down on the sand as Pygmy started to jump around the boy as he stomped around. She watched the people surf back and forth and she observed the movement of the water. The height and force of the waves were extraordinary, as if Aqua Laguna was a daily visitor to this island. _Where am I?_

"Many happy days to you, sister."

Nana blinked and she leaned her head back to see who was talking to her. She found herself staring at someone that looked older than time itself. He was extremely short and he wore a white shirt with pink hearts dotted all around it with matching pink sunglasses and pink boardshorts.

She raised an eyebrow and hurriedly adjusted herself so she sat directly in front of him. "Hey, are you the leader of this island?" she demanded, "I need to know where I am. I can't really tell you how I got here because I'm not quite sure myself but I need to get to Saboady Arc-"

"Relax, sister," the old man chuckled, "Just relax. Everything will be okay."

His words had the opposite effect on Nana and she grabbed him by the shirt collar. She got up to her feet, dragging him up in the process, and she dangled him in the air. "Answer my question!"

The old man seemed unaffected by her demand and his good cheer did not waver. "Okey dokey," he said, "I am Akamai. I am the eldest of the family. Welcome to the island of Wahino. It is a summer island on the Grand Line."

"Oh, thank god!" Nana breathed as she dropped the man on the floor and her hand went back to her necklace, "I was so worried I got sent to the New World. Tell me, are we near Sabaody Archipelago?"

Akamai chuckled. "I don't know where that is."

Nana took a deep breath. "Okay, what about islands around us? What islands are nearby? Maybe I've been to one of them or at least know about it."

"No idea. I've never left this island."

Nana was not to be deterred. "Well, I have Rayleigh's Vivre Card so I can at least use that. Do you have a ship so that I can leave?"

Akamai smiled lazily back at her. "No, no ship."

Nana closed her eyes and counted to ten. "Okay…" she said slowly, "Then do you have some wood and tools I could use to build a ship?"

Akamai nodded. "We have tools and wood but there is no use in building a ship," he spread his arms wide towards the sea, "Mother Sea is too powerful for ships."

"Fine! Then give me a surfboard!" Nana demanded as she looked at the crowd of people ride through the waves, "I can just do what they do."

That seemed to effect the man and he looked at Nana in horror. "No. No! You are not ready for shaka."

Nana put her hands on her hips and smirked. "Please. I've been riding a waterboard all my life. How bad could the surf be?"

"The waves of shaka are too strong!" the old man insisted.

Nana rolled her eyes. "Okay, if I can't sail, surf, or even swim, what can I do?"

The old man's smile came back. "Relax."

Nana opened her mouth, her fury just at the tip of her tongue, but then she saw the boy grinning innocently back at her while playing with Pygmy. "Excuse me...for just one second," Nana mumbled as she walked behind a few palm trees and out of earshot of the old man and child. "Mother-"

"Woof, woof!" Pygmy barked over her as she let out a stream of curse words.

"Kuma," Nana seethed as she took out her frustration by vigorously shaking a palm tree, pretending it was Kuma's neck, "You really fucked me this time, you puff-pawed bastard."


	51. Coating

Nana had been on the island for a full day and she had gotten nowhere. The people of the island actually set up camp around her and lived their day surrounding her. She had only gotten as far as twenty meters away from the paw print indentation before being pulled back to the camp to either share a meal with them or to answer their questions about her hammer and her dog.

From what Nana could gather from speaking to the islanders, they were all a very happy bunch with a relaxed view of life. All of them were born on the island and none of them have ever left. The waves were too big for anyone to leave so this island had remained basically untouched by the World Government. The only contact they had from the outside world was shipments delivered via Flying Fish from a nearby island every six months. Meaning it would be months before Nana could expect to hitch a ride out.

The islanders had found a way to survive without the help from the outside world. They ate the fruit that grew locally and the fish actually came to them. Every three hours the waves would swell to abnormal heights and they would come crashing back to the island and it would last roughly two and half hours, only leaving a thirty minute window for a peacefully calm sea. The fish caught in the waves would be left on the beach so there was no shortage of food for the islanders.

Nana also discovered that the three hour interval for the waves was also what was referred to as "shaka time". The islanders loved to surf and it seemed to be a pastime that was shared by every member except one. The little boy that Pygmy had found was named Tavi and he wasn't allowed to surf, although Nana couldn't figure out why.

She had watched two shaka times go by and Tavi would stay on the beach, doing his little dance, while cheering on his people. If she was in the chatting mood she would've asked him what was going on but Nana had other things on her mind.

She couldn't figure out a way to get out. She had spent the hours observing the sea and Akamai was right. The waves were too strong and she couldn't sail out safely. If she used a surfboard, it may get them out past the waves okay but without knowing where they were and how far Sabaody Archipelago was, she and Pygmy could be stranded in the middle of the sea.

Her frustration was only increased by the lackadaisical attitude of the island. Everyone on the island took their sweet time doing everything, including setting up camp. It took them four hours just to set up one tent using fallen palm leaves. It would've only taken thirty minutes but they had taken their sweet time and then shaka time came so they just _had_ to go surf. Nana was so annoyed by what she had witnessed that she had built up the rest of the tents for the people during their second "shaka break". Of course, that just gave them more of a reason to come up to her and give her a pat on the back.

"What are we going to do, Pygmy?" she asked softly.

Pygmy whined and rested his head on her lap. She scratched his ears as she thought about the crew and life aboard the Thousand Sunny.

She thought about how Luffy and Pygmy ran around the deck like idiots.

How stubborn the swordsman was and how unwilling he was to just let her inspect his katanas.

How Chopper and Pygmy seemed to have long conversations at times, as if her dog had a lot of things he wanted to get off his chest.

How Robin always seemed to know how to explain something complicated in a way that was so easy to follow.

How Brook would find any opportunity to make a dumb skull joke.

How Nami would boss everyone around because if she didn't then everything would just fall into chaos.

How Usopp-sama would make up the craziest games, making the calmest days at sea some of the wildest on board.

How Franky-

She stopped herself before it got too hard. She didn't want to think about him much less the cook. "We have to get out of here," she said out loud to Pygmy as she fought back her tears, "We need to get out of here. If these waves could just calm the fuck down-"

A thought struck her and she sat up a little straighter as she watched the waves. "I couldn't...Could I?" she wondered as she held up her metal glove.

She looked down at Pygmy, who blinked at her curiously. "Do you think I could hold down the waves if I got the energy field just right?"

He wagged his tail and rested his head back on her lap. She sighed and started to scratch the back of his ears again. "Yeah, you're right. It would be impossible...plus we'd both probably die in the process..."

"Anything is possible, sister!"

She turned in surprise to find Tavi standing next to her with a big smile on his face. "Tavi?"

"Anything is possible, sister," he repeated and squatted down to get closer to the sand. He placed his palms on it, "See?"

A bright glow came from his palms and when he lifted it, two large sea shells appeared where his hands were. One was clean and white while the other was a soft coral red. Besides the color, the shells were identical. He picked them up and held them out proudly to Nana. "Do you see, sister?"

"You're a devil fruit user!" Nana gasped as she took the shells from him. "Is that why you can't go into the water?"

He tilted his head, not understanding what she had said, but kept the grin on his face because she seemed to have liked his presents to her.

The old man walked towards them. "The Mother Sea does not welcome Tavi in her domain but in return, she has given him the gift of creating some of her most favorite possessions," he stated and sat in front of Nana, "Everything in this world is a give and take, you see?"

"Great," Nana scoffed, "So what could I _give_ that will _take_ me out of here?"

Akamai knelt down next to Nana and petted Pygmy. "You will need to consult with Mother Sea."

Nana rolled her eyes and got up to her feet. She dusted the soft, powdery white sand off of her knees and clapped it off her hands as well. She turned and walked toward the island. Pygmy immediately got up to his feet too and followed his master.

"Where are you going, Sister?" Tavi called after her.

"To get some exercise," Nana replied without looking back, "I've been sitting all day on the beach. It's time to get the blood flowing."

She walked further away from the beach and followed a sandy trail that wound through and around a thick cluster of palm trees. The path was lined with bushes of tropical flowers that bloomed in all sorts of bright colors.

 _Kuma must really have a sick sense of humor,_ Nana thought to herself as she and Pygmy roamed around, _Because this really would've been a nice place to vacation if not given the circumstances._

Nana was getting thirsty and she lifted her head to stare at some coconuts looming over head. She took her hammer and twisted the dial on her wrist. "Hammerang!" she yelled.

Her eyes almost popped out of her head when her hammer struck the coconuts, knocking them off the tree, but then continued to sail away. Then, her eyes were pushed in when the coconuts hit her directly in the face.

"What the fuck?!" she moaned as she rubbed her aching nose, "Where did my hammer go? Does my glove not work?"

Suddenly, a pink bee hive, which she didn't notice was hidden behind the two coconuts, fell down and smashed into pieces at her feet. A swarm of aqua blue bees swarmed up at her, their wings buzzing with fury, and their stingers aimed for her.

"AHHHH!" Nana screamed as she and Pygmy were chased back to the beach. They stung her neck and her face and she could feel the burn and swelling all around her.

The mechanic and her dog dove into the sea water as the bees circled over her for a few seconds before flying back into the island.

"What the hell?!," Nana gasped as her head broke through the surface of the water. She winced as the salt water dripped over the stings on the back of her neck.

"Don't worry. Mother Sea will heal your stings," Akamai called safely from the beach and Nana glared at him.

"Don't rely on Mother Sea for everything," Nana snapped and then her eyes widened when she realized that the burning feeling was gone. She moved her fingers to her neck and saw that the swelling was starting to go down, "Holy shit…The sea water _did_ heal it."

She and Pygmy trudged back to the beach, where Tavi was laughing hysterically at their drenched state. Nana scowled and picked the boy up by the collar. She tossed him over her shoulder and he landed with a splash in the water.

"Ah!" Akamai screamed as Pygmy hurriedly ran into the water to fetch the poor Shell-Shell user out of the sea.

"Misery loves company, Tavi," Nana quipped without any hint of remorse, "Join me, why don't you?"

She stomped forward and past the stunned old man. "Wh-where are you going?" Akamai shouted after her.

"To find my hammer!" she roared as Pygmy dropped Tavi at Akamai's feet before scampering towards the mechanic.

Nana was not Zoro so she was able to retrace her steps pretty easily. It also helped that the smashed beehive indicated exactly where she last had her hammer. She and Pygmy circled the vicinity and looked for over an hour before they finally found it, a few meters away, caught at the top of a very tall palm tree.

Nana gritted her teeth and directed her glove at the hammer. "Hammerang!" she shouted. This time it did fly back.

Nana tilted her head in confusion as she stared at the hammer. "Okay, this time it worked. What changed?"

She rummaged through her pockets to find anything metal. She pulled out a small screwdriver, her pocket telescope, her megaphone, and a chisel. She set the pocket telescope on the ground. Then she climbed to the top of a palm tree and set the megaphone in its leaves.

She aimed her glove at the telescope on the floor. "Catch!" she shouted and it flew swiftly back to her.

"So it's not the ground…" she murmured.

Then she aimed her hand at the telescope. It came back to her as well. "No, not the trees either."

She frowned and returned to the scene of the crime. "Pygmy?" she asked out loud, "What am I missing?"

Pygmy barked and she looked down at him. He was sniffing the abandoned and cracked beehive. Nana raised an eyebrow and dropped her chisel in the middle of the hive. "Catch!' she shouted. Nothing happened.

Nana's eyes widened and she knelt down to examine the hive. She picked up her chisel and noticed the sticky waxy residue that the hive had left behind. "Is it...the wax?!"

She tossed the chisel a few feet away from her and held her glove out to it. "Catch!" she called. The chisel remained motionless.

She tossed the screwdriver next to it and then repeated her action. "Catch!" The screwdriver returned.

To be extra sure, Nana coated the screwdriver with the wax and then tossed it back to the chisel. "Catch!"

Nothing moved.

"Holy shit!" She gasped as she picked up the pieces of the beehive, "Pygmy! I think...I think the wax can absorb magnetic energy!"

She looked down at Pygmy, who was sniffing the trees intently before lifting his leg to one of them. Nana snorted and looked high into the sky, where the palm leaves and coconut trees seemed to blend into each other like a natural roof. She pulled the beehive closer to her chest. "Maybe Tavi is right...Anything is possible."

* * *

Nana returned to the beach, ignoring the smiles and waves from the islanders, who were waiting at the edge of the beach for shaka time to start. She had work to do. She quickly loosened her corset and set it on top of a rock on the edge of the beach. She scooped up the insides of the hive and began to slather the beeswax all over the leather, front and back.

When she was finished, she re-tied the corset around her and climbed on top of the rock. She turned her dial on her wrist and waited, like the islanders. Suddenly, the sea water in the distance surged upwards and then began to come crashing towards the island.

"Shaka!" she heard the islanders cry as they ran past Nana with their surfboards.

Nana took a deep breath and aimed her glove at the water as she slowly turned the dial on her wrist. "Weapons Test #1, Strength," she murmured as she continued to turn the dial, past the frequency of her screwdriver, of her hammer, of a sea prism stone, and then her eyes widened when she turned the dial past the frequency she had used during Enies Lobby.

She stopped and closed her eyes to really focus on how she was feeling. _My heart! It's fine! My brain...it's fine. Everything is fine!_

Her eyes snapped open and she turned the dial even more, to the same frequency she had used on that light man, Kizaru. A shockwave burst from her hand and it knocked forward into the sea. The waves it connected with surged even higher and the islanders cried out in surprise as most of them fell off their boards, while the more experienced surfers were quick to adjust to the sudden change.

Nana quickly turned the glove off and she knelt down onto the rock. She put her hand to her chest, where her heart was, but she wasn't feeling for her heartbeat. _This wax...,_ she thought, _This coating...It's protecting me!_

Suddenly, she heard someone moving behind her and she turned to see Tavi trying to climb onto the rock. "Oy! Stay away from me," she barked, "I'm doing some dangerous things right now. You're going to get hurt."

"I want to help, sister," Tavi said with a smile, "Let me help."

"Well, I do need to test on a devil fruit user," Nana started to say and then she shook her head, "No. You're just a kid. Can't do my testing on you."

"Don't worry, sister," Tavi laughed, "I'm stronger than I look. Don't look down on me just because I'm a kid."

That struck Nana and she raised her eyebrow at the child. "Yeah," she said with a smile tugging at her lips, "I used to hate it when adults took it easy on me when I was your age too…" She sighed and pulled him onto the rock with just one hand.

She frowned at him. "You need to tell me as soon as you're at your limit, okay?"

Tavi nodded solemnly. "Okey dokey."

She took a deep breath. "Okay, can you make me some shells?"

Tavi's bright smile came back. "Of course! How many do you need?"

"As many as you can make," Nana ordered and the little boy put his hands on the surface of the rock and got to work, "Don't stop until you absolutely can't anymore."

"Okey dokey," he said.

Nana raised her hand and turned her dial very, very slowly. "Here goes nothing. Weapon Test #2...Effect."

The mechanic and the boy sat on the rock, running tests, well after shaka time was over. The islanders all returned and looked curiously at the pair before heading back into the island. The sun had started to set and that's when Nana decided to stop.

"Tavi, I think it's time for your dinner," Nana said, "You should go."

Tavi, who was sweating a little from their experiments, grinned happily back at her. "Did I help you?"

Nana nodded, "You helped me immensely."

Tavi got up to his feet and leapt off the rock. He ran back to his family, waving happily to Nana as he went. Nana waved back and then looked down at the pile of shells Tavi had made. The biggest shells were at the bottom of the heap, when she first started turning her dial. As the frequency got bigger, the size of the shells got smaller, until finally Tavi couldn't make anymore.

Nana noticed, though, there were times where the shells would be bigger than before but then the next one would return to the smaller size so there was still moments where she didn't have full control of the frequency. She needed to keep it consistent. She needed to be able to hold the frequency if she wanted a chance to get out of here.

"Woof! Woof!"

Nana looked down and saw that Pygmy had a skewer of roasted fish in his mouth. She grinned as she took it from his mouth. "Good dog. Very good dog," she said as she took a bite out of the fish as Pygmy ran back to join the islanders.

Nana kept her eyes on the sea as the sun started to set and she ate her dinner. The day was about to end but she wasn't prepared to finish her tests just yet. In fact, in Nana's opinion, her work had just begun.

* * *

It took Nana a full day, which was 8 shaka times, to fully gain control of her glove. She never left the rock and by the time she was done, her screwdriver was worn to a nub. She was very much aware that she had been on the island for two full days now, which meant she was already late to rejoin her nakama since she had assumed that she had flown at least a day to get to this summer island.

Her body was screaming for sleep but Nana clutched her pendant tightly in her hand as she leapt off the rock and headed towards the islanders. _I can sleep when I get back on the Sunny...When I'm back with everyone._

"Oy! Akamai!" she ordered, "I've consulted with Mother Sea! I'm building a ship."


	52. Legacy

To the surprise of both Akamai and Nana, the islanders were happy to pitch in and help Nana build her ship. The mechanic couldn't tell if it was because they were just that good-natured, or they just wanted to see how her ship would break from the harsh waves during shaka time.

They had taken a day to build a ship. It was a caravel smaller than the Going Merry and Nana had built a masthead of a mermaid and used two coconut shells from the island for the bra. She named it the Camie. Nana figured if the mermaid brought her and Sanji together once, she can bring them together again.

Akamai was generous enough to even load the ship with fruits and fish to last her at least three full days. Nana prayed it would not take that long. She also built a beehive box, out of the wood of a coconut tree, and caught a few of the blue bees so that she could harvest the wax.

Nana hugged Tavi goodbye and gave him a small ship in a bottle to remember her by. It was an exact replica of the Camie. "We'll probably never see each other again," she said to him, "As it'll be almost impossible for me to come back."

She felt a lump in her throat and she gritted her teeth. _Shit. I hate goodbyes._

"But anything is possible, sister," he replied with an infectious grin.

Nana dug into her pocket and held up the two shells that he had given her. "Yes, anything is possible," she smiled back.

Nana and Pygmy climbed aboard the ship and she waved goodbye to the islanders. "Thanks, old man!" she called to Akamai, "You've been very generous!"

"We'll see you soon, sister," he laughed back, "Mother Sea will return you to us soon enough."

Nana scoffed as she raced around the dock to get ready to set sail. "We'll see about that."

She took out Rayleigh's Vivre Card and held it in her palms for direction. _Guys...I'm coming! Wait for me!_

She tightened her fist and got the ship ready for sailing. Soon her and Pygmy started to sail forward out to sea and they had not been in the water for more than 5 minutes before it was shaka time. Large waves rose up in front of her and started to reach out to the Camie, like Mother Sea was using them as fingers to grab the ship.

"Ahhhh! Sister!" she could hear Tavi call out from the island but Nana was not worried.

She raised her glove towards the wave and turned her dial. "Nana Special!" she roared, "Sea Wave!"

The burst of energy, mimicking the frequency of the sea, rushed out from Nana's glove and hit the wall of water directly in front of her. Suddenly, the wave leveled off, while the waves around it continued to surge. It created enough room for Nana to sail forward and as soon as the ship passed the wave, the gate of water shot back up like nothing had happened

"I'm doing it! I'm doing it!" Nana shouted with joy. She continued to keep her hand in place as they passed wave after wave like that. Her glove pinned the water down with its energy.

Pygmy barked behind her as he ran in circles on the deck. "We're going, Pygmy!" Nana shouted as soon as they got far away from the island and away from the jurisdiction of Mother Sea. She turned her glove off and then ran to the ship helm. She pulled out Rayleigh's Vivre Card and adjusted their direction, "We're going back to Sabaody!"

* * *

Nana and Pygmy sailed by themselves for two full days before getting to the archipelago. When the mangrove trees came into view, Nana felt like crying, laughing, and cursing at the same time. She didn't know what would be waiting for her when she got there. Was she the last one to arrive? Would the marines be waiting for her? Was her nakama in danger?

She steeled herself for the incoming pain of voices in her head but she was surprised to find that none of that happened when she got closer and closer to the land. She still wasn't sure how she was able to tap into all those voices before but she'd rather get back to her crew before unravelling that mystery.

Nana docked the Camie under a mangrove root at Grove #43. Nana had pulled off her helmet and goggles and stuffed it into her pockets. She couldn't hide her hammer or her shirt, which matched her wanted poster, but the less chance of her getting recognized, the better. She followed Rayleigh's Vivre Card, carrying her box of bees, and then scoffed when she discovered the Vivre Card had led her straight to Shakky's Rip Off Bar. _Of course he's here._

She ran up the steps and flung open the door, placing the box of bees right outside. "Rayleigh! Is the ship ready? Is everyone back?" she demanded when she saw the old man and Shakky chatting idly by the bar.

If they were surprised at all by her appearance, they didn't show it. The two retired pirates only smiled casually back at the mechanic.

"Oh, look who's back," Shakky said, as she tapped her cigarette over an ashtray.

"It looks like you were right, Shakky," Rayleigh added without taking his eyes off of Nana, "Maybe she is that girl."

Nana tilted her head. "What? What girl?"

"The age...the skills...it all adds up," Shakky replied.

Nana rolled her eyes. "Okay, I don't have time for this. Where's everyone else? Are they on the Sunny?"

"They're not here," Rayleigh replied, "You're the first one to come back."

Nana's eyes widened. It didn't even occur to her that the others could be having trouble getting back. "Are you serious?! How long have I been gone?"

"7 days," Rayleigh said, "And just in time too…"

"Seven days?!" Nana yelled, "That means Kuma had sent me flying for two whole days?!"

"Oh, is that all?" Shakky asked as she brought her cigarette back to her lips, "I heard people could be sent flying for 3 days or even a week."

"Shakky, you have no idea what I've been through," Nana sighed and then stared suspiciously at Rayleigh, "Wait! You said I was just in time. Just in time for what?"

"Did you not read the newspaper?" Shakky asked.

Nana ran her hands through her hair. "Like I said, you have no idea what I've been through. Even if I was in a place that got the newspaper, I wouldn't even have time to read one."

Shakky took out a rolled up a newspaper from under the bar. She handed it to Nana. The mechanic's eyes scanned the headlines and then she dropped the newspaper as if it had caught on fire. "B-B-B-But…" she stammered as she pointed accusingly at the front page, "But 'Fire Fist' Ace is Luffy's brother! They're executing him in a week?! They can't do that!"

"Actually," Rayleigh said grimly, "That newspaper was from 6 days ago. The execution is today. In about four hours, actually."

"WHAT?!" Nana roared, "No wonder no one is back yet. They've all gone to save him! I need to get to this execution. Where is it?"

"In the town square of Marineford," Rayleigh answered, "That's the Navy Headquarters. There's no way you can get there by yourself."

"Don't tell me what I can and cannot do," Nana seethed as she ran out the door, "You have no idea what I can do now."

Shakky stuck her cigarette into the end of the ashtray and casually leaned over the bar. "Did you finally tap into the Gridley family power?," she called out to the mechanic.

Nana froze. "What?," she asked softly, "What did you say?"

"The Gridley family secret power," Shakky said, "Did you rediscover it?"

Nana turned slowly to face Shakky and Rayleigh once again. "What do you know about the Gridley family?," she asked, her voice clipped, "What secret power?""

"Shakky, it seems you were right again," Rayleigh said as he took a sip from his glass of rum, "She does not remember."

Shakky gestured towards an empty bar stool. "Sit down and I'll tell you."

"But Luffy-"

"There's nothing you can do between now and when the execution begins that'll make a difference," Shakky replied, "Trust me."

Nana didn't know what to do. She felt torn between her past and present. The Gridley family name had come up too many times for her to ignore it anymore. Even if she didn't want anything to do with her past, it seemed Gridley D. Sylvia was not done with her.

She took a shaky breath as she reached up to her pendant. She clutched it tightly in her palm as she sat down at the bar stool. "Talk," she said softly, "I'm listening."

"Your family name, before you became Mizu Nana, was Gridley, correct?," Shakky asked.

Nana nodded, "Gridley D. Sylvia."

"D?!" Rayleigh and Shakky said in a hushed tone as they shared a look of surprise. Then Shakky's expression changed to that of genuine amusement.

"You are more interesting than I initially thought, Mizu-chan," she murmured.

Nana shrugged. "I get that a lot...So can you tell me more about the Gridley family? What's the secret power?"

"That's the thing," Shakky said, "No one knows."

"What?" Nana's head jerked up and she looked accusingly at Shakky, "Are you just fucking around with me?"

"I'm not," Shakky insisted with a casual smile, "What I do know that there was a man named Gridley...he lived in the South Blue and he was a mechanic."

Nana snorted and started to stand back up. "Yeah that's all I know too. If you had nothing-"

"And he was secretly making weapons for the revolutionary army."

Nana stared at Shakky in shock. "What? He was a revolutionary?!"

Shakky nodded. "It was never fully confirmed, since he moved around a lot and went by many different names. This is all based on consistent rumors I've heard over the years regarding that man. There were also rumors that he had a daughter that he loved very much. So much so that he couldn't bear the thought of parting with her so he took her with him everywhere, even though the responsible thing would have been to leave her in the care of someone else."

Nana couldn't believe her ears. "How come the marines didn't know anything about this? Even Kalifa...a CP9 agent didn't find anything about him as a revolutionary. She said he was a nobody."

"Information is a weapon," Shakky replied smoothly, "I just know how to use it better than the Navy." She then looked solemnly into Nana's eyes. "Your father was not a nobody. In fact, he was close to becoming one of the most dangerous men in the world."

"How?" Nana asked.

"There was a rumor that the revolutionary army was close to building a weapon," Shakky replied, "A weapon that would guarantee their victory...and the power was based on the power the weaponsmith had within himself."

Nana blinked. "He had within himself?...He was a devil fruit user?!" She clutched her head tightly between her hands. Her head and her heart were beginning to pound.

"But these are all rumors, right?" she asked quietly, "None of this is confirmed?"

"I've come to learn that 9 times out of 10, Shakky's instincts are right," Rayleigh said and he turned to Shakky, "Tell her what your theory is."

"I won't tell you if you don't want to hear it, Mizu-chan," Shakky said with a gentle tone, "So...just let me know if you're ready to listen."

Nana took in a shaky breaky and she looked back up at the barkeep. "Okay," she whispered, "I'm listening."

"Based off of all these rumors, what Rayleigh had seen you do at the Auction House, and what you told me," Shakky replied, "I believe that Gridley was a Magnet-Magnet fruit user...before Kid."

" _It seems you've found a way to copy my power."_

Nana's eyes widened as she remembered what that rooster had said to her at the Auction House. _So I wasn't copying him...I was copying...my...dad?!_

"I believe he fused that with his knowledge of making weapons and he passed down to you everything he knew," Shakky continued.

"What makes you think-" Nana started to ask.

"No child learns that much about magnetic fields," Shakky replied, "Unless it was specifically taught to them by a specialist." She sighed, "I believe he taught you the basics of building that weapon, the one that could change the world."

Nana gulped. Even though Shakky's theory was all built on circumspect and rumors, it all seemed reasonable. She had never really questioned how she was able to know the ins and outs of a boiler before she got to Water 7, let alone her grasp on magnetic fields.

"What I can't figure out is how did he die and why you don't remember?

Nana reached for her helmet. She pulled it off and looked at the inscription sewn on the inside. "We were going to the New World…" she said softly, "We were going to start a new life." She rubbed her thumb over the words. _New World, New Beginnings._

Nana closed her eyes. "Our ship got caught in the crossfires between the Navy and some pirates..and I lost my memory that day.

Shakky and Rayleigh remained quiet as Nana gathered her thoughts. She couldn't decide how to feel. One part of her felt nothing. This was a man she did not remember. Another part of her felt frustrated at that man. If he didn't want to be a revolutionary anymore, why did he teach her how to build the weapon? Part of her wanted answers while the other part wanted to know nothing more. _What do I do?_

Then she realized she was holding onto her pendant again. Somehow, over the last week, it had become a habit of hers. She looked up at Shakky and Rayleigh. "That's a good story," she said, "And I appreciate you sharing it with me but I have more important things to do."

She got up to her feet. "My nakama need me right now. The dead can wait."

"What are you going to do?" Shakky asked her, "How are you going to get to Marineford? Do you know the way?"

Nana turned to them, "No. But I can find someone and make them either tell me or take me there themselves."

Rayleigh got up from his chair. "I'm going into town anyways. I heard they were broadcasting the execution from there. I'll go with you," he offered.

Nana nodded and then smiled sadly at Shakky. "I appreciate you trying to tell me about my past but I've already said goodbye to it and moved on. I'm not interested in learning about who I was before." She held up her fist to show Shakky her metal glove. "And this...was not created to change the world or destroy anything. I am only using it to protect those that I love. The ones that are still living."

Nana's smile became a look of determination. "I don't know what Gridley's intentions were or what I had planned on doing as Gridley D. Sylvia...But it doesn't seem like I'll ever know so all I can do is do what I think is right..as myself...As Mizu Nana."

Shakky smiled back and she crossed her arms. "Well then, Mizu-chan, I look forward to seeing what you do."

Nana nodded and her eyes caught her waterboard that was resting in a corner. She had left it there initially, thinking that she could always get it back after Rayleigh was done with the coating. She grabbed it and ran for the door. "Alright, let's go, Pygmy! Time for us to help our nakama and get Luffy's brother back!"

Then she noticed her bees and she looked over at Shakky. "Do you mind if I leave my bees here for the time being?"

"Your what?" Shakky asked in surprise.

"Thanks, Shakky!" Nana cried and ran off.

* * *

Rayleigh, Nana, and Pygmy sat perched on a limb of a tall mangrove tree, outlooking the three big monitors that had been set up for the broadcast of the execution. Rayleigh had convinced her to just watch the beginning of the execution just to check if her nakamas were actually there. He assured her that the Navy HQ was a little over an hour away and there was still time for her to get there after the broadcast had started. Nana knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that Luffy would be there but the Dark King was insistent and would not take no for an answer.

She sat cross legged next to the old man as he chugged from a bottle of rum. He offered some and she shook her head. "I'll drink when I'm back with my nakama," she said as surveyed the crowd beneath her feet.

It seemed everyone on the archipelago was gathered to watch the execution. She could see reporters among them with their cameras and notepads. Everyone was trying to get the scoop and be the first to break the news to the rest of the world.

Nana's attention moved to the screens themselves. On the monitors, transponder snails projected the live feed of the execution stand. Just from the sweeping views of the setting, Nana guessed there were almost one hundred thousand marines present. "Why...all this attention to execute one pirate?" she asked Rayleigh, "Was he a pirate captain?"

"'Fire Fist' Ace is the 2nd division captain for the Whitebeard Pirates," Rayleigh explained as he kept his gaze fixed on the monitors, "Whitebeard is a pirate from my generation. He's the last of my time to be roaming the seas. He's also one of the Four Emperors...A Yonko."

"Yonko?" Nana asked.

Rayleigh let out a little laugh, "It seems both you and your captain share a habit of not reading newspapers."

Nana shrugged. "We've got Robin, Sanji, and Nami to do all that."

Rayleigh smiled as he continued to explain. "The Four Emperors are the four most notorious and most powerful pirate captains in the world. All four of them reside in the New World. It is said that their power and influence matches that of the World Government."

His smile faded and he pointed towards the monitors. "By doing a public execution, the Navy has declared war on Whitebeard. That's why there's so many marines are present for this. They are preparing for a war."

Nana's eyes widened. "But that means...if Luffy and the others show up…" She started to get back on her feet.

"Wait, Nana," Rayleigh said, "At least look at who else is present."

Nana moved her focus back on the screen and the blood drained from her face. She could see Kuma and Moria standing alongside three other people she did not recognize.

"Those are five of the seven warlords," Rayleigh explained without having to be asked, "You've met Kuma…"

"And Gecko Moria," Nana said with a gulp, "So...who are the other three?"

"Donquixote Doflamingo is the one in pink. Dracule Mihawk is the one with the golden sword behind him-"

"That's a sword?!" Nana gasped, "I thought it was a cross."

Rayleigh nodded. "And the woman at the very end is Boa Hancock."

The camera shifted and the monitors showed three men, sitting right below the execution stand. Nana recognized the light man immediately. "Those are the admirals?"

"Ah, Akainu, Aokiji, and Kizaru."

"Admirals...Warlords...and a hundred thousand marines," Nana whispered, "Luffy...what are you going to do?"

_What should I do?_

A hush fell over the crowd as 'Fire Fist' Ace was brought onto the execution stand. The camera was too far away for Nana to see the man's features but she could tell he had black hair just like Luffy. His head was lowered and his eyes were downcast as he knelt at the edge of the platform. A guard stood on either side of him, holding a longsword to his neck, in case he decided to try anything funny.

A towering marine appeared from behind Ace and the guards lifted their swords away from their prisoner. The marine was the most decorated officer Nana had yet to see and he wore a hat with a model seagull perched at the top.

"That's Fleet Admiral Sengoku," Rayleigh said.

"I have something to tell you all about Portgas D. Ace," Sengoku announced over the speakers, "About the significance of his death today. Ace, tell them about your father."

"His father?" Nana whispered, "He means Luffy's father?"

"Whitebeard is my only father!" Ace shouted through the speakers.

"Your mother risked her life to bear you, knowing full well that we were on the hunt for 'that man's' child," Sengoku said, "Using information from Cipher Pol, we checked all newborns and expectant mothers around that time but we couldn't find you because of your mother. She used a trick that can only be called mother's pride. Because of her trick, she was able to fool the whole world. Your mother's name is Portgas D. Rouge. She did something that defied the natural world because of her love for her child. She kept her baby inside her womb for 20 months."

"2 years?!" Nana gasped as she instinctively brought a hand to her stomach, "Ugh...That's painful just thinking about it."

"As soon as she gave birth to you," Sengoku continued, "She lost all of her strength and passed away right there. A year and 3 months after the father's death, the child was born with the blood of the world's most heinous man in his veins. That was you."

"Ace and Luffy's father is dead?" Nana gasped, "Dragon...no...we would've heard the news…"

"Your father was...the King of the Pirates, Gol D. Roger!" Sengoku cried.

Nana almost fell off the branch. Her head jerked to the Dark King, whose knuckles were white from gripping his bottle too tightly. "Rayleigh...Did you know?"

Rayleigh took a swig from his bottle and he smiled sadly at the monitor. "Someday, if you are lucky enough to live to be my age, you will learn that sometimes it is not your fight."

Nana gazed curiously back at him. _He didn't answer my question._

"It was two years ago," Sengoku announced, "You took your mother's name and set off as a pirate, becoming captain of the Spade Pirates. And that's when we noticed that Roger's blood still flowed...But Whitebeard also noticed the same thing. And to make you the next King of Pirates, he let the son of his old rival onto his ship."

"No!" Ace furiously denied, "I got on the ship to make my dad the next king!"

"No one believes that except you!" Sengoku shot back, "You are on the way to become the next King of Pirates and we need to extinguish this flame. Even if that means declaring an all out war with Whitebeard!"

The marines cheered and voiced their approval as Nana's fists clenched in her lap. "Rayleigh?" she asked softly, "Why does it matter so much what's in our blood? Why does it matter who are fathers are? Why are we judged by what we've done and what we could do based on a so called legacy?"

She could feel her frustration build up and she gritted her teeth. "Why can't people just accept us for who we are and not where we came from?!"

"That's just the way of the world, Nana," Rayleigh said solemnly, "But I have a feeling our world is about to change...For better or worse."


	53. Hijack

The world might have called it a war but to Nana, what she saw was more like an apocalypse. Fire rained down from the skies as the sea around them froze with ice. The ground and air shattered around them with bright beams of light shot through the sky. The sounds of battlecries and clashing swords rang out like a dull roar, accompanied by the percussions of cannonfire. It was as if the elements themselves were at odds with each other and death polluted the entire atmosphere.

Whitebeard and his fleet of 47 pirate ships had stormed into Marineford, with Whitebeard himself making a surprise entrance by coming up from under the water. He had coated his ship, as well as three others, with the resin from Sabaody and it had emerged from the inner bay at the heart of the naval base.

To Nana, Whitebeard was like the Almighty himself. He had a daunting stature, a formidable presence, and a power that literally shook the world. She watched as he used his Tremor-Tremor power to create tsunamis and and waves that would put shaka time to shame on Wahino island.

"Do you see, Nana?" Rayleigh asked quietly, "Do you see what awaits you and your nakama in the New World?"

Nana nodded with her eyes glued to the screen and fear gripping her heart. Even if she did make some progress on Wahino, the most she has done was be able to control and utilize her metal glove to suppress water. It was not enough. She was not strong enough to be able to protect her nakama. Not against the men that were displayed on the monitors in front of her.

Nana scoffed at herself. She squeezed her eyes shut and lowered her head. Just a week earlier, she had boasted that she would be able to take on an Admiral. She had said she would tear apart their so-called justice. _God...how hot headed am I? At my level…I can't even stand up against a Warlord, let alone an Admiral…_

The more she watched the battle, the more distant her dream felt to her. _I even made such a selfish request to Luffy and say that we won't kill anyone with my weapons. Even defeating these opponents is questionable...let alone be able to show them mercy?! How stupid of me. How naive of me. Luffy, why the hell did you agree to it?!_

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The very familiar scream knocked Nana's senses back. Her head shot up and she looked frantically at the monitors. "Did you hear that, Rayleigh?!" she gasped, "That...that was Luffy!"

The cameras were locked on the platform so Nana couldn't see her captain but she knew his voice when she heard it.

"ACCCEEEE!" her captain screamed through the speakers.

Nana choked back a sob that was rushing out of her throat. "He did come...Luffy did come for his brother," she said with a mix of relief and nervousness.

She heard a booming voice come through. "You came here to rescue your brother? Do you know who you're messing with?! A squirt like you will be dead meat!"

The camera panned over to Whitebeard and Nana saw her captain, standing before the powerful man, on the masthead of his ship.

"Shut up! That's not for you to decide!" Luffy shouted back.

Nana's eyes widened as her hands flew to cover her jaw dropped mouth. _Luffy!_

"You wanna be the King of Pirates, right?!" Luffy barked defiantly back at the Yonko, "But...the one who'll become the King of Pirates….IS ME!"

His last proclamation echoed not just through the Navy Headquarters but it also rang out through the crowd of Sabaody.

Nana's eyes filled with tears as she choked back another sob. _That's right...Luffy is the one who will become the King of Pirates. If he says he'll do it, then he'll do it. To hell what everyone else thinks._

Her mind flashed back to that moment on the Puffing Tom, when she and Luffy had launched themselves towards Enies Lobby before the others. She hadn't thought about the consequences then. She didn't think at all. She just went and did what she wanted to do. She had fought side by side with that man and they both had shared the same mentality. Get our nakama back and beat the crap of anyone that got in the way.

She closed her eyes and mentally thanked her captain for coming to her aid and restoring her faith in him and herself. _I am Mizu Motherfucking Nana and I will help Luffy become the King of Pirates. Come hell or high water._

She looked over at Rayleigh with her restored determination. "That's my cue," she said with a firm look slowly coming across her face, "Now that I know my captain is there, as his crew member, it would be shameful for me just to stand back and watch."

"How are you going to get there?" Rayleigh asked.

Nana tapped her ear and closed her eyes. "I'm going to find someone who can help me."

"Ah, so you've finally tapped into your Haki?"

Nana opened one eye and looked over at Rayleigh. "Haki?"

Rayleigh smiled. "Maybe I'll explain it to you in depth some other time but in a nutshell, it's something you can use to sense the presence of others. For you, it seems to be in the form of sound."

Nana closed her eyes again and frowned. "Whatever. I'm just trying to find a ride."

She tried to concentrate on all the sounds around her. Nothing came into her head and nothing stood out except the sounds of battle coming from the monitors. _Come on..._ she thought. _Listen, Mizu Nana!_

She started to hear the faint sounds of pens scratching on paper. Then she started to hear a man talk to someone about the legendary beauty of Boa Hancock. She moved on from that conversation fairly quickly.

"Shachi, Penguin, go get the ship ready." Her ears twitched. _That...voice...why did it sound so familiar?_

"But the battle isn't over yet."

"Just go and make preparations. We're going to Marineford."

"What?!"

"Don't ask questions, just do it!"

"Yes, Captain."

Nana's eyes snapped open. "Someone is heading towards the battle," she said to Rayleigh as she leaned over the tree limb to look down at the crowd. She tilted her head to the side and concentrated her energy on her ears.

"Why does Bepo get to stay behind and watch the battle?"

"Sorry."

"Don't be so weak willed!"

Nana gasped as she zeroed in on the voices. They were coming from a far east corner of the crowd, right near the back. She scanned the area and then she gasped again when she saw the sources. "It's...that guy...from the Auction House. That pirate with the panda eyes."

Rayleigh glanced over to where she was gazing at and he took a sip from his bottle. "That's Trafalgar Law and the Heart Pirates."

"No," Nana corrected as she got up to her feet, "That's my ride."

* * *

Nana and Pygmy stood coolly in the middle of the engine room, in the belly of a submarine, with her hammer on her back and her arms folded across her chest. "You heard me," she said casually to the group of pirates gaping back at her, "I'm taking over command of this ship and we're leaving for Marineford...now."

"H-H-How did you even get in here?!" a pirate with a penguin hat demanded.

Nana raised an eyebrow and nodded towards a pirate with a blue cap on his head. He blushed and looked shamefully back towards his crew. "I'm sorry...She said she wanted a tour and...I didn't realize she was a pirate…"

Nana winked at him, which made him blush even further. "You were an excellent tour guide. Although, your knowledge of mechanics needs a bit of work."

"She's part of the Straw Hat crew!" a pirate with a green puffy hat shouted, "I saw her when we were at the Auction House."

Nana grinned. "Oh, you were there? Then that makes things easier. I need to get to my captain and I can't be bothered to wait for yours. So we need to set sail now."

The pirate with the green puffy hat hung his head depressingly. "She doesn't even remember me. Our eyes met at the Auction House but...she doesn't even remember me."

"That's not the point!" the pirate with the penguin hat protested. He pointed a finger at her, "Y-You can't take this ship."

Nana's confident smile did not waver. Her eyes fell on the wrench that was hanging from a belt loop on his white jumpsuit. The outfit seemed to be the crew's uniform and every one of the Heart Pirates were wearing one. "Are you the mechanic?" she asked.

"One of them…" the penguin man replied cautiously.

"Good. Then you'll know what it means when I say I closed off one of the valves in one of the air pressure tanks," Nana said smoothly as she watched his eyes widen in fear, "But I won't tell you which one."

"Wh-wh-wh-what?!"

Nana glanced at her bare wrist, pretending to look at a watch, "It's been building up for the last 10 minutes now so I'd guess we all have about five minutes before this whole submarine breaks apart. From my tour, I'm guessing you have about seven of those tanks in the submarine with at least ten valves attached to each. Can you find the one valve out of seventy?"

She guessed from their silence the answer was no. "So we can either leave in the next few minutes or we can all sink to the bottom of the sea in five. Your choice."

She then dropped her hand and stared sternly at them. "I've also done some other tinkering so don't try to turn back after I fix the valve either."

"Eeep! Penguin!" one of the pirates hissed at the man in the penguin cap, "What should we do?"

"If you're going to make demands...You should at least make them to the captain," someone said coolly from behind her.

Nana whirled around to see Trafalgar Law, leaning against the doorframe with his nodachi in hand. The polar bear stood next to Law while a very large man with a flame shaped tattooed on his forehead stood behind Law. The captain of the Heart Pirates glowered at Nana and she lifted her chin defiantly at him. "I didn't expect to see you back so soon. I thought you would be watching more of the battle."

"The feed got cut," he said tersely. Then he pointed his sword at Nana, "Give me a reason why I shouldn't cut _you_."

"No need to dirty your sword. Just wait five minutes and we can all go down with this ship," Nana retorted, "Oh...wait. Make that four minutes."

Law stared at her in silence as time started to tick. His men's attention ping ponged between the mechanic and their captain, as they watched the two of them size each other up.

Suddenly, Nana sighed and nodded solemnly to her dog, who trotted over to an air pressure tank at the farthest corner of the room and he pushed a button with his nose.

"Her dog?!" the Heart Pirates gasped.

"I turned it off," Nana said, ignoring the staring and pointing the Heart Pirates were directing at her and Pygmy. Her eyes locked onto Law's, "Like I said, I did it because I need to get to Marineford and I'm running out of time. I didn't have the luxury to wait for you and convince you to let me come...but now you know, I actually do not mean you or your men any harm. So will you just let me come with you?"

"You're trying to get to Straw Hat-ya?"

Nana nodded. "Let me come with you. That's all I'm asking. I'll owe you one."

Law wasn't sure what to make of her. She went from being a potential hijacker to someone who was asking for a favor. She had switched from threatening to negotiating for no reason. She had the upper hand too since she had attacked the one thing he had no control over, the structure of his own ship. He had to be careful with this one.

"Fine."

Nana let out a huge breath of relief and she smiled at him. "Thank you. And I meant what I said. I'll owe you one."

"I will be taking you up on it," Law replied, trying hard not to notice that her smile was reflective of her own captain's, bright and genuine. He focused his attention back on his men. "What are you all standing around here for? We're going to Marineford. Go!"

"Yes, captain!" they saluted as they scurried off to their stations.

"And don't think there won't be any consequences for you guys letting a pirate on board just because she's a woman," Law added sternly.

"Eeeeek!" some of his men shrieked back.

Nana gulped as the thing she was dreading the most was happening. Her heart had sank when she followed the two Heart Pirates and realized their ship was a submarine. She really did not want to deal with her fear of water. At least not now.

Nana tilted her head to the side and she closed her eyes and focused on just listening to the machines around her. She could hear the creaking of the submarine as it lowered into the sea. The engines started to whir and she could hear the pipes rattle. It sounded like an orchestra to her but it was slightly out of tune.

She looked over at Law, who was still staring at her intently. "Oy, give me a wrench."

"Why should I?" he asked.

"Because I can make this sub go faster," she replied. _Because I need a fucking distraction._

"My ship is fine," he said.

"Fine is not good enough," Nana retorted, "Get it through your thick head that I'm in a hurry. You might be willing to be riding in a mediocre ship but I'm not."

She waved a finger around her head, at the different machines surrounding her. "Do you not hear all this racket? This is not how your ship is supposed to sound. No wonder you've got panda eyes. You probably haven't had a good night's sleep since you've been on board."

Law scowled. "Stop calling me Panda Eyes!"

"Will you give me a wrench or not?!" she demanded.

Law pinched the bridge of his nose to stop a migraine from forming. "Listen, I get that you're in a hurry, especially since Straw Hat-ya wasn't able to save his brother-"

"WHAT?!" Nana's horrified cry bounced off the metallic walls and echoed through the submarine. The blood drained from her face and her hand immediately went to the pendant that hung around her neck. "Luffy...Luffy didn't…"

Law sighed, dropped his hand, and returned to his usual stoic expression . "I guess you left the broadcast before that happened…'Fire Fist' Ace-ya is dead. He died protecting Straw Hat-ya."

"Is...is Luffy…" Nana asked shakily.

"I don't know."

She shot forward and grabbed Law by the collar. "Then get me a fucking wrench," she hissed. Her eyes burned into his, with the intensity and fury he had witnessed back at the Auction House. "NOW!"

* * *

Nana stood behind Law, who was sitting in his captain's chair behind the periscopes with his nodachi leaning against the armrest. His arms were folded across his chest with his head lowered so that Nana couldn't see his face. His polar bear manned the periscope.

Nana had a wrench in one hand while she scratched Pygmy's ears with another. She had finished doing some fast upgrades to the engine and the sub had shot forward decreasing their arrival time by 20 minutes. According to the Heart Pirates' navigator, they would be there soon. After hearing the news of Ace's death, Nana didn't even have the energy or attention span to focus on her own fear of water anymore.

She didn't ask Law about the details of Ace's death or what else had occurred on the battlefield. At this point, it didn't matter anymore. What mattered was that she needed to get her captain out of there.

Nana gripped her necklace as her eyes fell on the back of Law's head. He wasn't a friend, that was for sure. He was a rival and competition for the One Piece. Someday he's going to cash in on the favor that she asked from him and Nana prayed that it wouldn't come back to bite her in the ass.

She knew her valve trick would get her a free ticket to Marineford but she hated toying with people's lives like that...especially people who she needed help from. She was relieved when Law had shown up because that would mean she didn't have to play that game. She didn't have to go down that road.

She twirled the pendant between her fingers and then a thought occurred to her. "Law…" she asked.

"Ah?"

"Did you see...any of my nakama there? Besides Luffy?"

"No. It was just Straw Hat-ya. He came with other people and not his crew."

Nana couldn't hide her disappointment as she stopped spinning her necklace and clutched it tightly in her palm instead. _Guys...where are you?_

"Worried about your lover?"

Nana's head jerked up and she scowled at the back of Law's head. "I'm worried about them all!" she snapped.

"If you say so," Law replied coolly.

"Listen, Panda Eyes," Nana snarled, "What's going on between me and Sanji is between me and Sanji, okay? So keep your opinions to yourself."

"P-Panda eyes?" she heard someone snort from the back.

Law spun from his seat and glared menacingly at his crew member before directing it at Nana. He held up his hand. "Room."

"Devil Fruit?" Nana asked wryly as she turned the dial on her wrist.

Law's eyes widened when the translucent dome expanding from his hand suddenly vanished into thin air as an invisible force seemed to strike through him, making him feel momentarily weak. He slouched down on his seat for a second until everything returned to normal. He sat back up and looked warily at the mechanic.

Nana sighed and stuffed her hands into her pockets. "Don't do that. I'm not here to fight," she advised without any sense of malice or warning, "Especially in a submarine."

"Is that why the Navy gave you the highest initial bounty?" he said stonily, "Because you did to them what you just did to me?"

"No," she replied tersely, stuffing her hands further into her pockets so he couldn't see anymore of he

"Captain. We've reached the point where the water surface is not frozen," the polar bear reported, "We're here."

Law sat back down in his chair and he lifted his nodachi by the hilt. "Surface," he ordered.

Nana immediately turned on her heels and ran out of the room towards the upper deck of the submarine. _Luffy! I'm coming!_

"Mizu-ya!" Law called after her as he leapt out of his chair to follow her, "I'm going out there first."

"Don't order me around," she shouted as her and Pygmy raced up the metal staircase, "You are _not_ my captain."

She felt the submarine break the surface of the water and she held on tightly to the railings as the entire ship shook from the impact. Then she thrusted herself to the door and ran out to the deck with Law, the polar bear, and the man with flame tattoos following behind. She looked around her in shock.

The outside of the Navy Headquarters was completely surrounded in ice. There were people running on it as they tried to escape the wrath of the Navy. The submarine started to pull in closer to the headquarters. Nana put her hands on her back and sucked in a deep breath.

"LUFFYYYYYYYYYYYY!" she screamed out into the open, allowing her voice to bounce along the ice, building, and ships that littered the area, "WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOUUUUUU?!"


	54. Alone

Nana never really liked clowns in general but the clown that called himself Captain Buggy was really pushing the envelope. He was hovering overhead, clutching Luffy and a Fishman, and refusing to hand them over to her. She loathed him from the depths of her soul. She didn't know who this clown pirate was but he was annoying beyond all hell.

"Like I said!" she demanded up at him, "I'm his nakama! Bring him over here!"

"And I'm a doctor," Law added, "I can treat Straw Hat-ya."

"Are you kidding me?!" the clown exclaimed, "Doctors don't carry swords and if you really are his nakama, where's the rest of your crew? What are you doing with that guy?"

"You're a doctor?" Nana asked in disbelief to Law, "Really?!"

"Do you two even know each other?!" the clown blustered.

"No! We don't!" Nana shot back, "Like I said, I'm a Straw Hat pirate so get Luffy's ass over-"

The sounds of cannon fire interrupted her and her eyes widened. "WATCH OUT!"

A large cannonball was fired directly from behind the clown and he narrowly dodged it by flying to the sky. Nana faced the front of the ship and turned the dial on her glove as three cannonballs began to fire out at the ship.

"Nana Special!" she yelled, raising her hand, "Repel!"

Law's lips tightened as he observed her actions. He had seen her do something similar at the Auction House but seeing it up close was an entirely different feel. Her power was interesting. It was not a Devil Fruit like Kid and clearly, she built it herself. Law narrowed his eye. _I could use that power_.

"Captain! The Navy ships are coming!" the polar bear shouted from the top of the submarine and making Law to look up at his navigator.

Nana was about to power up her glove even more when the submarine began to shake violently as the sea began to swell and crash around them. "What the hell?!" she roared as she grabbed Pygmy by the neck while using her magnetic glove to stick to the metal floor.

"Blackbeard is using the Tremor-Tremor Fruit power again...the one he acquired from Whitebeard!" a voice echoed in her head.

Nana's head shot up as more voices started to seep into her mind. _Blackbeard_?

_"The ground...the sky and the sea...it's shaking!"_

" _Help us! Ahhhhh_!"

" _The ship is going to turn_!"

Nana squeezed her eyes shut. She had no hands to cover her ears. The intensity of the battlefield rang in her mind. She didn't know what to focus on. Her head was exploding with the noise while her body was swaying back and forth from the violent waves. She could barely breathe, let alone move. "Can everyone…" she panted, feeling nauseous and overwhelmed, "Just…"

_"Ahhh! I don't want to die!"_

_"Stop the Navy!"_

_"Kill the pirates!"_

She leapt onto her feet and released her hold on Pygmy. She turned the dial on her wrist as she held it high above her head. "...CALM THE FUCK DOWN?!"

The waves around the submarine stopped as she shot out a bubble of magnetic energy that suppressed the waves in a 50 meter radius and the submarine stilled immediately.

Everyone in viewing distance gaped at the mechanic except the Surgeon of Death. The doctor's lips twisted into a cold smirk. Yes. She could be very useful indeed.

The voices continued to ring in Nana head but at least she had taken away one annoyance. She breathed heavily as she desperately tried to regain control of her mind.

" _Did you see that?!"_

_"Who is that?!"_

_"That's Mizu Nana of the Straw Hat Pirates. Has she come to save her captain?"_

_"Did she just control the sea?!"_

_"Ohhh, it's you again_."

Nana's eyes widened at the last voice and her head snapped over to a warship in the distance. Kizaru, the light man, was standing on top of the gaff and he was smiling casually back at her. He pointed a finger in her direction. "Fancy seeing you here."

She ignored him and focused her energy on the clown that was still floating high above them. "ARE YOU GOING TO GIVE ME LUFFY OR NOT?!"

"Fine! I leave them to you, whoever you are!" the clown shrieked as he tossed over the Fishman and Luffy.

"Jean Bart, catch him!" the polar bear ordered and the large man with the flame tattoos dutifully did so.

"Luffy!" Nana gasped. He was unconscious with a look of pure hysteria plastered on his face. There was also a heavy burn mark on his chest. Warm, thick blood trickled down Jean Bart's arm. The Fishman had a gaping hole in his chest and was bleeding profusely as well. "What the hell happened?!"

"Submerge!" Law ordered to his men, snapping Nana back to her senses, "We're leaving. Now!"

Nana didn't need to be told twice and she hurried after with the polar bear towards the door. Her head was screaming with pain as she heard weapons being loaded, devil fruit users gearing to use their power, hundreds of marines and pirates dying. It was all just too much.

She could barely see straight and she tripped and fell right in front of the door. Fuck, Rayleigh...Why didn't you tell me how to control this Haki shit?!

"Mizu-ya!" Law shouted at her just as Kizaru started to light up his finger. The pirate glared up at the Admiral, "God damn it."

"Enough...already," Nana rasped as she held her head in her hands, "Make it stop. Enough...Enough!"

"ENOOOOOOUGHHHHHHH!"

Somebody's voice rang out from the center of the Navy Headquarters and it silenced the entire battlefield, making Kizaru pause in his attack. It was a voice of a young boy.

"We're wasting people's lives!" the voice screamed, "Every single soldier has a family that's waiting for him to come home. We accomplished the goal already but we're still chasing the pirates who no longer wish to fight. We're giving up on our soldiers who could be treated right away."

The distraction was all Law needed. "Let's go! Bring him inside!" he shouted to his crew, "Take them to the surgery room and take her too."

He stared curiously at the girl crumpled on the floor in front of him as Bepo, Jean Bart, and her dog raced for the door. He watched as Bepo threw her over his shoulder and dashed down the stairs towards the surgery room. She had wielded an unprecedented power to calm the seas. _Yes...I could definitely use that power_.

* * *

Nana buried her head in Pygmy's neck as she waited for the voices to stop. She was huddled in the corner of the surgery room with her dog as they waited for Law to return to start operating on Luffy. The polar bear, who introduced himself as Bepo, ran out of the room a while ago to fetch his captain.

She started to feel submarine begin to move and sink a little lower into the water. The further away they got to Marineford, the less voices she heard. Soon, the only sounds she could hear were the sounds of the submarine and the beeping of medical machines. She slowly lifted her head and took a serious look around her.

Her eyes fell on the two large surgical beds pulled into the middle of the room with the Fishman and Luffy each lying in one. Nana rushed over to her captain's side. Now without the voices she was able to focus on her captain and she could see in detail the severity of his wounds. Blood was everywhere. Her mind flashed to another pool of blood in her memory, Iceberg's. She squeezed her eyes shut. He was close to death at that time and yet he looked far better than Luffy did now. Is he going to survive?

Nana felt weak at the knees and almost fell to the floor, if not for the fact that Shachi caught her just in time.

"Nana-san, are you okay?" he asked worriedly.

"Y-Y-Your captain," Nana gasped, "Is he a good doctor?"

"I'm a great one."

Nana looked up at Law, who was holding Luffy's straw hat and walking over towards her. He gave Luffy's prized possession to Penguin and smoothly slipped his hands into a pair of white gloves.

Nana's eyes bore into his. "Can you save him?" she demanded.

Law tilted his head towards the Fishman. "This one's been shot through his stomach and he's barely alive. Straw Hat-ya is severely injured too, but I think there are more problems deep inside."

"Can you fucking save him?!" Nana roared. Shachi went from supporting the mechanic to holding her back from lunging at his captain, "Answer me!"

A cruel, twisted smile grew on Law's face that made Nana's blood run cold. "I could...But I could also let them die."

Nana's eyes widened. "What do you mean? You're a doctor. You are supposed to save lives. It's your obligation."

Law looked casually back at her. "I'm a pirate. Straw Hat-ya is after the One Piece just like me. We'd have to fight each other in the future. Why would I save him now?"

Nana's heart stopped and she started to back away from the man. "You...you can't mean that."

"Captain?" Bepo asked softly and Law shot him a dark look.

"Quiet, Bepo," Law said and he folded his arms across his chest. He glanced casually at the mechanic, who was glaring at him fiercely. He smirked, "Ah. There it is. There's that look in your eyes. It's the same look you had at the Auction House to those Celestial Dragons. I like that look."

Nana dashed over, shoving Shachi to the floor, and she grabbed Law by the collar. She showed unprecedented strength and she lifted the man off his feet, despite being several inches shorter than him. "Save him or I will crush this entire submarine and kill us all," she seethed.

"Threats won't work, Mizu-ya," Law said in a bored tone, "Trades will though."

Nana blinked at him. "Trade?"

Law's smirk came back and he looked down at his nose at her. "A life for a life."

"You want my life?"

"No," Law said bluntly, "Your life is no use to me. I want you to help me take a life."

Nana's eyes widened. "You want me to kill?"

"When the time comes…," Law replied, "That shouldn't be a problem as you are a pirate after all, right?"

The sounds of beeping came from behind Nana. She turned and saw that they had connected Luffy to a heart monitor and she watched the screen. The green line spiked ever so slightly and only once in awhile. The spike was getting smaller and smaller. With every beep, Nana's eyes filled more with tears. My dream...my ambition...is nothing if I can't even protect Luffy.

She lowered Law slowly to the ground as her head lowered as well. "Luffy will become the King of Pirates one day," she growled, "And as long as I'm around, I'll make sure that happens. Even if that means kicking your ass one day. I can promise you that."

Law smirked at the mechanic. "Does this mean we have a deal?"

"Who is it that I have to kill?"

"You'll know when the time comes," Law said, "But don't worry. It's not anyone in your own crew. So...do we have a deal?"

Nana hand went to her necklace and she squeezed it. "Deal."

Nana watched quietly from the sidelines during the whole surgery. Her mind was numb with grief and anxiety while she watched Law operate. The sounds of the monitors beeping reminded her of when Iceberg had been attacked at CP9. She hated that sound. It was going to haunt her in her dreams, she just knew it.

She tried to block her sense of hearing and just focus on her sight. Law's hands moved quickly and efficiently. Her mind flashed to Sanji's hands and how they moved when he cooked. It was the same type of movement but Sanji's was warm and lively while Law's was cold and methodical. She didn't know whether or not she'll ever see him again...or Franky...or even the rest of her nakama.

A wave of sadness overwhelmed the mechanic and she was too tired to fight it anymore. She hugged her knees to her chest as she pressed her forehead against her knees. Now that there was no guarantee that she would ever see them again, there was no point in trying to be strong. She allowed herself to do the one thing she hadn't done since the Straw Hats separated. She began to miss Sanji.

She could practically feel the void in her heart without his presence. She missed how he would always say just the right thing to make her feel better, stronger, and more confident about any situation, no matter how badly it got. Right now, things had taken a turn for the worst and he was not here.

He wasn't here to tell her that Luffy would pull through. He wasn't here to assure her that she did the right thing, even if she didn't make it in time. He wasn't even here to twirl around her and overload her with unnecessary compliments.

Damn it, Sanji...Where are you?, Nana thought as she squeezed her eyes shut and let the tears escape, Luffy's in trouble and I don't know what to do. I need you. I miss you.

Her hand reached up to her necklace and she squeezed it. I wish you were here...I wish you were here so badly.

* * *

_Kamabakka Kingdom_

_I wish I was with you, Nana..., Sanji thought as he held his lighter tightly in his hand, I wish I could see your beautiful smile. Kiss your wonderful lips. Look into your angelic eyes. I wish I was with you instead of this god forsaken place._

He ran his other hand through his hair as he tried to catch his breath. He was stuck on an island of cross dressing men and they were no ordinary men either. They were insanely strong. They were also insanely determined to make him one of them, even though he kept telling them that he loved women and his heart belonged to Nana.

They had chased him around the island all day, every day, and he was thoroughly exhausted. He didn't even want to smoke. He had found retreat in a quiet sea cove that seemed to be abandoned and he sat miserably on a rock.

His suit was ruined, his confidence was shaken, and his libido was at its absolute lowest. Everytime he closed his eyes, he would see Nana the second right before she disappeared right in front of him. She had laid lifelessly on the floor with a dazed and tortured look in her eyes. He had ran as fast as he could to get to her in a race against that stupid pawed bastard. He had reached out his hand to her but it was no use. He was too far. He was too slow. She needed him at that moment and he didn't make it in time.

Then to make matters even worse, the Warlord had sent him to an island filled with men with girlish hearts. They were all drag queens, even the animals and they were convinced he was the same as well. He had tried to fight them off as best as he could but they were too strong.

He had even lost to their stand-in queen, Caroline, in a fight where he had to wear a dress, high heels, and make-up. He was so dangerously close to losing his sense of masculinity, if not for the lighter that fell out of the pocket of his dress.

It had flicked open and accidentally set the hem of his dress on fire. He had thrown it off and tossed it toward Caroline, which almost set her hair on fire due to the mass amounts of hairspray the stand-in queen used. They had called a fight a standstill and Sanji left there grasping onto the last shred of masculinity he had in him.

The lighter seemed to be a good way of reminding him of who he was, the man that Nana loved. She had given him this lighter as a prize for outsmarting her tracking hound. This lighter was a reminder to him that Nana valued his intellect and wit...so he needed to stay calm...stay focused...and most importantly, stay a man.

He wondered what Nana would think of this place. He could almost hear her scoff and see her roll her eyes but then he could also see her talking and laughing with the drag queens too. Her sense of empathy was strong and he loved that about her. She was always quick to defend a friend but she was also open to hear a stranger's story.

There was no one else quite like her. She was feminine at times. She was masculine at times. She would be angry one minute but then get over it in a heartbeat. She was honest about how she felt but it was also easy for her to sway her opinion with a convincing argument. She was just so human, beyond the definition of a man or a woman, and she captivated Sanji.

He had thought that he knew love. He loved Nami-san. He loved Robin-chan...It wasn't until he loved Nana did he realize the difference between loving someone and loving the one...and she was it. He knew it in his mind, body, and soul.

He could practically hear Nana snort with laughter at his thoughts but he really did believe that destiny had brought them together. Otherwise how would a boy from the North Blue be able to fall in love with a girl from the South Blue? There was just too many things that had happened for them to meet for Sanji not to believe it was fate.

But the same fate that brought them together seemed to have pulled a prank on them and tore them apart too soon. He needed to get back to her and away from this hell hole.

* * *

"Mizu-ya?"

Nana woke up with a start. "Shit," she mumbled as she rubbed her eyes, "I didn't mean to fall asleep. I must be more tired than I thought."

Her senses flooded back to her and she remembered where she was. Then she noticed that Law was standing in front of her, wiping his hands with a towel. He was blocking her view of the rest of the room. "Luffy?!" she gasped as she tried to step around him but he suddenly grabbed her by the shoulders.

"He's stable for now," Law said grimly, "But there's no guarantee that he will survive."

"I thought you said you were a great doctor," Nana said accusingly.

"I am. That's why Straw Hat-ya is stable," Law replied.

Nana stepped forward but then realized Law was still holding her firmly in place. She glared up at him. "What?"

"You still owe me a favor," Law stated.

"Didn't we already make a deal?!"

"For saving your captain...but not for me giving you a ride to Marineford."

"Who else do you want me to 'help' you kill?" Nana demanded.

"It's nothing like that," Law replied, "I just want your fingernails."

"What?! What kind of sick pervert are you?"

Law scowled at her. "For a Vivre Card."

"Oh...why do you need a Vivre Card from me?"

"So I know how to find you when the time comes to complete the deal."

"Don't I need to hold onto a piece of that paper?" Nana asked.

"I have a crewmember from the New World here who knows how to make one," Law replied.

"Fine," Nana said as she chewed up the front of three nails and spat it into her hand, "Here you go."

Law looked horrified at the contents and Nana smirked. "Don't you want it?"

He grimaced before taking a towel and wiping it carefully over her nails. Nana gave him a victorious look and then walked over to her captain. He was bandaged all over with IV drips on both arms and an oxygen mask around his mouth. Nana knelt down so that her mouth was right by his ear. "Luffy...food is ready," she whispered, "There's meat."

She raised her head to look at her captain. No reaction. A pained look fell over her face and she spoke again to her captain.

"Luffy...it's me, Nana…" she said in a hushed tone, "I'm here. It took me a week but I made it back to Sabaody, just like you ordered us to. So...you can take your time too...you can be a little late in waking up but please...please wake up...please come back."

She stood back up and gave Luffy's hand a light squeeze before walking back to Law. "What can I do?," she asked the doctor solemnly.

Law stared back at the mechanic for a second before he spoke. "I'm about to go up to get some fresh air. We've just resurfaced. You should go up too."

Nana shook her head. "I want to stay with Luffy. I don't need fresh air."

"Straw Hat-ya needs to rest so the less people staying in the room the better," Law insisted, "Consider it doctor's orders."

Nana scoffed. "Fine. I'll go up...but not because you said so."

Law raised an eyebrow. "Then why?"

Nana pointed at her dog. "It's been hours. He needs to be walked."

"I am not having that dog urinate on my submarine."

Nana walked out of the room with Pygmy trotting next to her. "Oh no...he won't do that," she called back.

"Good," Law said as he followed behind her.

"He needs to poo."

If looks could kill, Nana would've died about a hundred times by Law's glare by the time she reached the door that led outside. She was very much aware of how badly she annoyed the Heart Pirate but getting under his skin was just so easy. He was easier to mess with than Paulie.

Nana waited for him at the top of the stairs and he looked at her curiously. "Ladies first," Nana quipped as she opened the door for him.

His look of outrage made Nana snort. She was in middle of chuckling when she stepped out to the deck and realized that they had company.

Boa Hancock, the female Warlord, stood facing the polar bear and two of the Heart Pirates, one with the penguin hat and one with the green cap. There was a giant white snake with red spots coiled behind the Warlord. Next to the submarine was a parked marine ship and Nana instantly reached for her hammer, while Pygmy growled at the snake.

"How is Luffy doing?" Boa Hancock demanded, "Tell me now."

"I did everything I could," Law started to say but Nana held up a hand to stop him from saying anything further.

"Wait," Nana said as she eyed the gorgeous Warlord, "Why the hell should we tell you anything?"

Hancock narrowed her eyes, not appreciating Nana's tone of voice and she pointed a delicate finger over at the marine ship anchored next to the submarine. "If you're worried about the marines, I've turned them all to stone."

"I'm not worried about the marines," Nana growled, "I'm worried about you. My captain's experience with Warlords haven't been very favorable."

"Your captain?" Hancock asked, "I thought you were part of Law's crew."

Nana gagged at the thought. "Am I wearing a jumpsuit?" she snapped, "Do I look that dumb to be taking orders from that guy?"

"Hey!" the two Heart Pirates protested, while Law flashed an annoyed look her way.

"Sorry," the polar bear said, hanging his head in shame.

"Don't apologize to her!" the two Heart Pirates shouted at their navigator.

"I'm Mizu Nana. A Straw Hat pirate," Nana said, "So what the hell-"

"I'm Luffy's wife," Hancock interrupted with a beautiful flip of her hair.

Nana's jaw dropped, as well as the men on the deck. "Y-Y-You...and Luffy are married? Since when?!"

Hancock blushed, which made the two Heart Pirates feel weak at the knees. "Just a few days ago," she said coyly.

Law found himself holding Nana back from charging back into the submarine. "What the fuck, Luffy?!" she roared, "I was out in the middle of nowhere trying to get back to Sabaody and you were out getting married with a random woman?! Let me go, Law. I'm going to kill him! Let me at him!"

"Oy, Mizu-ya," Law grunted as he pulled her further into the deck and closed the door shut with his leg, "You need to calm down."

"And I'm not a random woman," Hancock said haughtily as she put her hand on her waist, "He hugged me and used my name."

Nana froze and looked over at the woman. "That's...your definition of marriage?"

Hancock flipped her hair again. "So what if it is?"

The girl in Law's arms went from violent to hysterical. "Oh my god," Nana laughed loudly and deeply, "You two idiots deserve each other. Luffy...married..."

She wiped a tear from her face and she stepped out of Law's hold. "Okay," she said with a smile still lingering on her lips, "You can tell her everything, Law...considering she's...Mrs. Monkey."

Pfffffffft. Nana doubled over and started to laugh all over again.

"Get a hold of yourself, Mizu-ya," Law scolded, annoyed at the mechanic's lack of composure and fluctuating mood swings. He took a deep calming breath and looked over at Hancock, "Like I said, Straw Hat-ya is stable but he too greater damage than you think. He's still in critical condition and not out of the woods yet."

"It's no wonder!" a booming voice shouted overhead.

"Who is that?" the polar bear asked.

"Luffy's father in law?" Nana muttered under her breath as she tried to pull herself together. She understood the gravity of the situation but the last time she laughed seemed ages ago. It felt good to laugh again.

She took a deep calming breath and looked up at the marine ship. A large man with blue hair and fake eyelashes grinned down at them from over the railing. He wore such heavy makeup that Nana could practically smell the wax of his thick blue lipstick. "Straw boy couldn't even stand when he was in Impel Down."

Impel Down?!, Nana thought in alarm, Luffy, you broke into the prison?!

"Straw Hat was risking his life!" a man in a bunny suit called down, "We got out of prison thanks to him. Because of him, we can make our dream come true and go to Kamabakka Kingdom."

"Who the hell are you guys?!" Nana demanded.

"They are prisoners of Impel Down. It seems they are Luffy's friends," Hancock explained, "They snuck on the ship."

Without warning, the large man in blue makeup jumped off of the marine ship and landed directly in front of Nana. "Your captain pushed himself very hard. That's how much he wanted to save his brother Ace!" he cheered but then his face turned solemn, "But then..his beloved family member died in front of his eyes in order to protect him."

His eyes locked with Nana. "It's a pain that you and your captain share."

Nana blinked back at him. "What are you talking about?"

"When I saw your wanted poster, I knew exactly who you were and I understand completely why you felt the need to hide. But don't worry, I'm a friend of your father's," he said with a gentle smile, "There's no need to pretend around me, Sylvia."

Nana stepped away from him and accidentally bumped into Law, who looked at her curiously. "Sylvia?"

Nana's hands went to her forehead. "For the love of god!" she shouted, "Can people just drop that name?! I don't know who the fuck Gridley is. I don't remember being Gridley D. Sylvia and I have no interest in being her. I am Mizu Nana, a Straw Hat Pirate, and my captain is down there barely clinging onto life so can someone just fucking tell me what the hell happened?!"

There was a stunned silence as they all didn't know what to make of Nana's outburst. Suddenly, the door behind them opened and the wounded Fishman emerged onto the deck. "I...can answer that for you."

"Jimbei," the man in blue makeup gasped.

"You're...Trafalgar Law of the North Blue, right?" Jimbei asked, "Thank you for saving my life."

"You need to rest or else you might die," Law replied stonily.

Jimbei shook his head. "I can't ease my mind. It's impossible. What I have just lost was too important to me...That is why I know that Luffy-kun must be going through far worse. Even if he survives, I can't stop worrying about the moment that he wakes up."

The Fishman then looked over at Nana. "I can tell you everything but first we need to find a safe place to rest."

Nana nodded as she tried to calm herself down and her hand went up to touch her necklace. "I'd appreciate it. Thanks."

"Give me a transponder snail," Hancock ordered, "I'm going to call the Kuja's ship so we can go across the Calm Belt even with this submarine. If the Government finds out that Luffy is alive, they'll come after him. He can rest safely on Maiden Island. As long as I'm still a Warlord, he'll be safe."

Nana looked around the deck at the people around her. They were all strangers to her, granted they were all concerned with Luffy's well-being but they meant nothing to her. There was no one familiar she could turn to. No Iceberg, no Frankie, no Paulie, no Straw Hats. She felt so alone and isolated. She turned on her heels and walked back into the submarine.

"Mizu-ya, where are you-"

"I've had enough fresh air," she snapped as Pygmy ran to catch up, "I'm going to go be with Luffy...my nakama."


	55. Maiden Island

Nana stayed by Luffy's bedside even when they pulled into the mythical island of women. Everyone else (the men) in the sub were practically jammed at the entryway to sneak a peek into their fantasy paradise. Nana, though, had no interest in what was going on outside of the surgical room. Her entire focus was on her captain. She had no intention of leaving him. According to Law, at this point it was all dependent on Luffy's will to live, which gave Nana plenty of hope because if anybody had the will to pull through, it would be her captain.

Jimbei, the Fishman and former Warlord, had filled her in on everything that had happened from Impel Down to Ace's death. She hated that her captain had to go through all of that without his crew. They should've been there with him. She should've been there. That was why she was determined to be there when he awoke.

That was also why she was in a foul mood when she found herself being pulled out of the surgical room and onto the island so that she could talk to the women of Maiden Island on behalf of the Heart Pirates, while Pygmy sat with Bepo by a tree.

"Why the fuck am I doing this?" Nana demanded, glaring at the group of men behind her, as she stood in front of a giant woman named Aphelandra, who was in the middle of serving food for each man.

"Because we're not allowed to talk to the men. Luffy is the only exception because of the princess' decree," a stern woman, named Kikyo, answered as she sliced up some meat at another table.

"Okay...so...do the men want to talk to you or do you want to talk to the men?" Nana asked with a raised eyebrow.

"We want to know how Luffy is doing," a woman named Marguerite asked as she held a large basket of fruit.

Nana shook her head. "Not awake yet," she replied solemnly.

"You haven't eaten yet, have you?" Aphelandra asked with a gentle smile, "I haven't seen you grab food here before. Have you just been in the sub and not eaten in the last two days?'

"Has it been two days?" Nana asked with a tired sigh, "I haven't been really keeping track."

Suddenly, an empty bowl was thrust into her hands from the side. She glanced over and was surprised to see Law there.

"Eat. I don't want to have another patient to attend to. Especially for something as easy to treat as malnutrition," he said coldly before walking away to sit underneath a tree.

He kept his attention fixed on the mechanic. The girl was erratic and unpredictable. What is your power, Mizu-ya? And who is Gridley D. Sylvia?

"I have no appetite," Nana replied, ambivalent of the attention she was getting from anyone. She set the bowl down at the edge of Aphelandra's table.

Aphelandra took Nana's hands into hers. "The Snake Princess is the same way. You both are very concerned about Luffy, as are we, but you don't have to deal with it alone. Since you are a woman, you are welcome to come into our village. If there's anything you or Luffy need, feel free to come in and find us. We'll help you in anyway we can. That was the princess' decree as well."

"I believe," another warrior scoffed, "The actual orders were to help Luffy in anyway we can."

Before Nana could respond, she heard Luffy's muffled cries from within the belly of the submarine. "LUFFY!" she shouted just as the submarine started to shake uncontrollably.

Law stared grimly at the mechanic. She heard Straw Hat-ya from here?

She raced towards the ship just as Luffy broke through the top of the submarine in a giant explosion of smoke and metal rubble. He sailed over Nana and landed on his knees. "A-A-Ace…" he panted.

"Luffy?" Nana gasped as she stared at her crazed captain.

"WHERE IS ACE?!" Luffy screamed.

He started to run into the island and he beat the Heart Pirates that got in his way. They flew up in the air. Some were knocked into trees. The others went sailing into the sea.

Nana shot a frantic look over to Law. "His wounds…"

Law nodded sternly. "If it opens, he dies."

"ACE! WHERE IS ACE?!" the hysterical rubber man roared.

Nana clenched her teeth and turned the dial on her wrist. "Sorry, Luffy. But this is for your own good...Sea Wave."

The rubber man fell limply onto the ground as the frequency of the sea hit him.

"Ace...Ace…" her captain moaned. Blood was coming out of his mouth and nose and his fist was bloodied too.

Nana's eyes filled with tears as she watched her captain's broken mental state. She didn't even think he was aware of his surroundings, let alone recognize her. "Luffy…" she whispered as her hand started to tremble. Her feet felt like lead and she couldn't bring herself to walk towards him, as if any additional movement would cause him more anguish.

From behind Law's eyes narrowed at the mechanic. That glove...

"Let's take a walk," Jimbei said as he walked past her to pick up Luffy, "Come."

Nana nodded and turned to her dog, who was on his feet and ready to come to her. She shook her head at Pygmy. "Stay," she said, "I'll be back."

The dog barked and wagged his tail before sitting down dutifully. Law raised an eyebrow at the dog. Maybe Bepo can get some answers from him? Then he rolled his eyes. Did I really just consider interrogating a dog?

Nana followed the Fishman into the island, with her hands still outstretched to keep her captain stable. They went deep into the island's forest, away from the men and far from the village as not to be discovered by the women. Along the way, Luffy would let out the most agonizing and aching screams that chipped away at Nana's heart and spirit.

They had walked for about twenty minutes before Jimbei was satisfied that they were secluded enough. He set Luffy down on the ground and stepped away.

"You can release him now," Jimbei said to Nana.

"Are you sure?" Nana asked, her face coated with worry.

Jimbei nodded and Nana took a stabilizing breath before turning off her dial.

Almost immediately, Luffy got up to his feet and started to break everything around him. He knocked down trees with his bare fist. He broke off a piece of a large rock just to smash it into another one. He was going wild.

"No! Go away!" he screamed as he tried to fight off his own memories, "Go away! Go away!"

Nana instinctively clamped her hands over her mouth in shock. She didn't know what to do. SHe had never seen anyone behave like this. Jimbei sensed her frozen state and quietly stepped in front of her to block her from getting to Luffy.

The rubber man collapsed onto his knees and glared over at the Fishman. "The war is over," Jimbei said sternly to Luffy, "Ace-san is-"

"Don't say it! Don't say anything!" Luffy roared at the top of his lungs, "I already pinched myself hard enough to break the skin. If it was a dream, I should've woken up by now. But...it's not a dream is it?"

His voice started to break and tears flooded uncontrollably out of his eyes. "Ace is…," the rubber man sobbed, "Ace is really dead, isn't he?"

Nana put her hand over her mouth to keep the sounds of her own cries from interrupting her captain during his time of need. She stood behind Jimbei, unable to come out and look at her captain as she was too overcome with sadness and defeat. There was nothing she could do or say to him to make him feel better. If only she had a way to take some of that pain for him. Some of that anguish. Some of that torture.

Luffy threw his head back and let out the most tormented scream Nana had ever heard. "AAAACEEEEEEEE! AAACCCCEEEEEE!"

The rubber man's arms fell limply to his side as he kept his gaze on the heavens above. "What King of Pirates? I can't be...I'm...I'm…," he bawled as he started to pull at his hair and claw at his face, "I'm too weak!"

He started to beat the ground again and it was too much for Nana. "I'm too weak! I can't save anyone! Damn! Damn! Damn it!" her captain screamed.

Jimbei pushed Nana out from behind him and he stared sternly at her. "Go to him," he barked.

Nana gulped and she ran towards Luffy. She grabbed her captain by the shoulders. "Luffy! Stop it!" she pleaded, "You're going to open up your wounds at this rate and you'll hurt yourself!"

Luffy's head jerked up and he stared wide eyed back at her. Finally registering her presence in front of him. "Na...Nana?" he breathed, not believing his own eyes.

Nana let out a sad smile. "I'm sorry I'm late."

Luffy's hands grabbed her wrists. "Ace is...my brother is-"

"I know," Nana whispered, "I know."

"It's all my fault," Luffy seethed as his fingers started to tighten around her wrists, "It's because I'm too weak."

"It's not your fault," Nana insisted, "Stop blaming yourself."

"Shut up, Nana!" Luffy barked, digging his fingers into her skin, "It is all my fault. If I was stronger...If I was faster...I could've saved him. I could've-"

"And if you were weaker, you could've died," Nana replied, "And then your brother's sacrifice would've really been for nothing."

Luffy stared at his mechanic and she looked back at him through her own tear filled eyes. "Ace did what he did because he wanted you to live," Nana continued, "So don't let your life go to waste."

Nana took a deep breath. "I've seen death take away people...so I know how easy it is for it to consume you. For you to get wrapped up in the guilt and regret of all of it," she continued, "I get how much pain you're in. I really do...but you have to let that pain go."

"How can I?" Luffy demanded through his tears, "It's easy for you to say that since you don't even remember your own family!"

Nana ignored the sting of his words and she stared determinedly into his eyes. "We can't get back what we lost," Nana stated bluntly, "Not my memories. Not my family...and not your brother."

"And you are right," Nana continued, "We are too weak. We believed we could overcome anything. We've never doubted our strength. And now...it's clear there are formidable enemies out there that we can't defeat…But doesn't that make what we have to focus on even clearer?"

Luffy blinked back at the girl. Unsure what she was going with it.

"We have to focus on living," Nana said as she pulled her hands out of Luffy's grasp and held them in her own.

"That's right, Luffy-kun," Jimbei grunted and squatted in front of the rubber man, "Keep living. Get stronger. Not just for Ace. Not just for you...But for the ones that you still have left in this world. Focus on the ones who are still here. Focus on the ones you still have!"

Nana gave Luffy's hands a hard squeeze. "Who do you still have, Luffy? Who do you still have, Captain?"

Luffy's eyes widened and he looked between Jimbei's worried eyes and Nana's hands holding tightly to his. "Zoro…" he mumbled as his tears started to fall again, "Nami...Usopp...Sanji...Chopper...Robin...Franky...Brook…"

"And me…" Nana whispered as she pressed her forehead against his so they can cry together. "You still have your nakama. You still have us…"

"My nakama," Luffy sobbed loudly, "My friends...I still have my friends."

He wrapped his arms around Nana and pulled her tightly to him. "I want to see them, Nana," he cried in her shoulder, "I want to be back with them."

"Me too, Luffy," Nana replied softly, "I want to see them too."

They sat like that for over an hour as the rubber man let out all the pain and anguish built up inside him. His mechanic stayed with him to help take some of it on, while the Fishman watched quietly from the side.

* * *

By the time all three headed back to the submarine, they were surprised to see that it was gone with Law nowhere in sight. What was more surprising, though, was the fact that 'Dark King' Rayleigh stood by himself and he was holding Luffy's straw hat.

"Rayleigh?! What the hell are you doing here?" Nana gasped.

"Huh?! Rayleigh?!" Luffy shouted while Jimbei carried him on his back.

"I'm glad to see you two this soon," Rayleigh said cheerfully.

"Did anyone else come back to Sabaody yet?" Nana asked hopefully.

"No, not yet," Rayleigh replied and Nana shared a look of disappointment with her captain, "But I gave my Vivre Card to Shakky in order to go anywhere I want...so they might be there when you guys go back...If you guys go back. Oh! Speaking of Vivre Cards..."

He handed Nana a torn piece of paper. "The Captain of the Heart Pirates asked me to give this to you before he left."

Nana took it and tucked it into her pocket with a scowl. Luffy looked curiously at her. "Was that from the Tra...something guy? The one that saved me and Jimbei? What is it?"

"Trafalgar Law, Luffy. But don't worry. This is nothing you need to worry about," Nana said. She didn't want to burden her captain to know the terms of his salvation. No one needed to know about her and Law's deal. If Luffy found out she had traded in her own ambition for his life, he would be sad and he had enough to be sad about.

'"Dark King' Rayleigh...is it really you?" Jimbei asked, interrupting Nana's thoughts, "I didn't expect to see a living legend here."

"And you must be the former Warlord," Rayleigh replied warmly and threw the straw hat over to Luffy. "I believe this belongs to you."

"Ah, thank you," Luffy grinned as he jumped off of Jimbei's back and placed it on his head.

"Wait! Hold it! Did no one else catch what Rayleigh just said earlier?!" Nana demanded and pointed a finger at Rayleigh, "You said 'if'. What do you mean 'if' we go back?! Of course we're going back."

Rayleigh grinned, "I'll explain more after…"

"After what?!" Nana pressed.

As if on cue, and maybe the Dark King already knew, Hancock arrived with an exorbitant amount of food along with two giant women, one with green hair and one with orange hair, and a tiny old woman.

The old woman's eyes widened when she saw Rayleigh. "Oh?! Rayleigh?!'

"Oh, Gloriosa! It's been awhile," Rayleigh replied with a grin.

"Rayleigh! Ray-san!" the two large women said.

"Luffy!" Hancock cooed lovingly to the rubber man.

"Oy, Big Sis, shouldn't you say hi to the man who saved your life?" the green haired woman asked.

Nana raised an eyebrow. Hancock is the 'big' sister to those two? And...Rayleigh saved their lives?

"Luffy! I brought all this food for you," Hancock said, ignoring her sister's comment, "Please come eat it."

Both Nana and Jimbei's stomach growled on cue and Hancock looked sternly at them. "This food is not for you. It is for Luffy….but I guess you guys could have a little bit."

"You are generous as you are beautiful," Nana said dryly as she picked up a heavy, red fruit and bit into it.

"You should eat, Luffy-kun. Eating is living," Jimbei said encouragingly as Nana handed him a hunk of meat.

Luffy shoved food after food into his mouth, while Nana picked a few pieces and tossed it over at Pygmy.

"Oy! I never said you could give some food to your dog!" Hancock hissed at Nana.

"He's part of our crew, right, Luffy?" Nana said with a look to her captain.

Luffy nodded with his mouth full. "Yep."

"Fine," Hancock huffed and then her eyes fell on Rayleigh, "Rayleigh?! What are you doing here?"

"I can't believe you just noticed!" Gloriosa gasped.

Nana snorted, "She's got it bad for you, Luffy."

"Huh?"

"Nevermind…" Nana said with a shake of her head and then she looked over at Rayleigh, "What are you doing here anyways? And how did you find us?"

"I'll answer your last question first," Rayleigh said with a grin, "I found you guys based on a subjective theory made by Shakky. Women's intuition is unbelievable….And what I'm doing here…well...you guys wanted to go to Sabaody right?"

Luffy and Nana both nodded at the man. "I need to see my nakama," Luffy said with a firm nod.

"Is that what you really want?" Rayleigh asked, "Sabaody Archipelago...Think about what happened on that island the last time all of you were there. Do you think you can face those tremendous powers as you are now? Do you want to be reunited with your nakama only to suffer the same fate?"

Nana and Luffy both gulped down the food in their mouths and shared a look of concern.

Rayleigh smiled. "I have a suggestion for you...Of course it's up to you...to take it or not, Luffy-kun."

"What is it?" Luffy asked.

"Why don't you let me train you, Luffy-kun?" Rayleigh said with a grin, "If you give me two years, I can make you stronger and you will have the capabilities you'll need to go into the New World. I know a deserted island that would be perfect for your training."

"Two years?!" Nana and Luffy exclaimed.

Rayleigh nodded. "Usually it takes more time than that but Luffy-kun is well qualified to learn the basis of Haki within two years."

"Haki?!" Nana blinked, "You're going to teach us about Haki?"

Rayleigh shook his head. "Not you, Nana-chan. Just Luffy-kun."

Nana leapt to her feet. "What?! Why not me too?"

"Because you should stay here and train on Maiden Island."

"WHAT?!" Both Boa and Nana shouted at the same time. They looked over at each other and then shared a look of mutual disdain.

"I don't want to stay on your damn island so don't make it sound like you're the one who doesn't want me here," Nana seethed.

"Hmph," Boa scoffed with a flip of her hair, "If it wasn't because of Luffy you wouldn't even be allowed to touch a toe on this island."

Nana glanced over at her captain. "I'm staying with you, Luffy. I am not going to leave-"

Luffy held up his arm and Nana fell silent. He pulled his straw hat over his eyes. "I promised my nakama that I'll see them in Sabaody. I can't leave them hanging," he said to Rayleigh, "Nana and I are going to Sabaody."

Rayleigh's grin was unwavering. "If there was a way to tell your nakama right now to wait another two years so that you can get stronger, would you accept my training?"

Luffy took a deep breath. "If that was possible...yes."

He then looked over at Nana. She sighed and nodded back at him. "Whatever you decide, Captain."

"I have a suggestion on how to get the message out to your nakama," Rayleigh said, "If we-

"I'm still coming with Luffy for training," Nana interrupted, "There's no way I'm staying where I'm not wanted."

"Stay," Luffy said and Nana stared at him in shock, "If the old guy has a way to let Zoro and them know to wait two years, then you should train too."

"But Luffy, I-"

"We agreed that we need to get stronger, Nana," Luffy replied, "Besides, you can't get stronger on a deserted island. You're a mechanic. You need to be around machines. You and I fight differently. We can't train the same way."

Nana blinked. It was one of those rare moments where her captain struck the heart of the matter.

The rubber man looked over at Boa. "Is that okay if Nana trains here with you guys?"

The direct eye contact was too much for Boa and her face flushed. She covered her cheeks with her hands and stared at her feet. "Yes, whatever you say, husband."

"Do you really have a way to get a message to our nakama?" Nana asked Rayleigh, deliberately ignoring the woman.

Rayleigh smiled and nodded.

Nana then placed her hands on her hips. "I'm just worried that Prince Charming is gonna unroot every mangrove tree at Sabaody looking for me if we don't get the word out."

Rayleigh chuckled. "He'll get the message."

Nana finally turned her attention back to Boa Hancock. "You'll teach me how to control these voices in my head?" she demanded.

Hancock raised an eyebrow. "Voices?"

Nana waved a hand over in Rayleigh's general direction, "He said something about it being Haki but I don't really care what it is. I just want to know how to control them. These voices are going to kill me one day if I don't find a way."

"Nana, you know about this Haki stuff?" Luffy asked in surprise.

Nana shrugged. "Apparently so."

"Observation Haki," Rayleigh corrected, "You seem to have a natural ability for it, especially combined with your sensitivity to sound."

"So how do I control it?" Nana asked.

"Practice," Rayleigh said with a grin, "The Boa Sisters can explain to you everything you need to know about the different types of Haki."

"There's other types?!" Nana demanded.

Hancock let out a little scoff of disdain. "I thought the woman who got a higher initial bounty than me would be much more powerful than this. You don't even know about Haki?"

Nana glared at her. "By the end of these two years, I'll be the princess of this island."

Hancock's eyes blazed with fury. "Is that a threat?"

"That's a goddamn throw down!" Nana shot back.

Hancock's two sisters traded a look of surprise with each other.

"Amazing," the sister with the green hair whispered, "Someone just as stubborn and childish as Big Sis."

"En," the other sister agreed silently, "Looks like we're going to have our work cut out for us."


	56. The Message

_Meanwhile at Kambukka Kingdom_

"Give me a ship!" Sanji roared, clenching his lighter in one hand and a rolled up newspaper in the other, "I need to get to my friends! This is an urgent matter!"

He stood in front of a group of drag queens with Caroline at the very front. He could smell the pressed powder from their makeup and the wafts of flowery perfumes emitting from their clothes. The stench gave him a headache, the sight of them made him nauseous, and their cracked voices hurt his ears. His senses were being viciously attacked just by their presence.

"I'm not buying that excuse," Caroline, the stand-in queen and authority, shouted back, 'You're just trying to escape this island."

"Of course I am!" Sanji spat, "I want to get out of this country that's completely devoid of women!"

Suddenly, one of the islanders looked past him towards the sea behind the cook. "Is that a ship?"

They all turned and spotted a marine ship heading their way. Caroline raised a telescope to her eyes and she screeched. "It's Ivan-sama!" she rejoiced. Her whole body trembled with excitement.

"Who?" Sanji asked.

"She's the true queen of Kamabakka Kingdom...Emporio Ivankov-sama!" Caroline squealed.

Sanji recognized the name immediately. It was mentioned in the newspaper that day, in the article that sent Sanji racing around the island in search of a ship to commandeer. The article reported Luffy's appearance at the War of the Best and it stated that the Straw Hat captain was seen with Emporio Ivankov.

He hurriedly ran forward, pushing his way through the crowd, so he could be the first person to speak with the queen of Kamabakka when she disembarked from her ship. He grimaced and steeled his nerves. He could only imagine the horrible appearance of the person who reigned over this hellish island.

The ship pulled in. The stairs lowered onto the dock as did Sanji's jaw. A slim woman with rounded breasts and wavy blue hair appeared at the top of the steps. She wore a pink, one piece swimsuit that barely covered her well endowed chest and fishnet stockings over her long, gazelle like legs.

"I can't believe it. She's...She's..." Sanji gasped as his eyes scanned her entire body, "She's my type!"

Blood spurted out of his nose and his hand went up to his nose to cover it, accidentally slamming Nana's lighter against his face. "Right...I can't be fooled," Sanji said, wincing a bit from the pain. He took a deep breath and got up to his feet, "Oy! You!"

His eyes met Ivankov's. "What type of man do you like? AH! NO! That's not my question."

Ivankov smiled back at him. "Did you want something from me, candy boy?"

A blush came to Sanji's face but he quickly shook it off. "Yes! I need to know about Luffy!"

Ivankov gasped. "Luffy? You mean Straw Boy?"

"Bingo! You were at the Navy headquarters with him. You guys must've been through a lot. Tell me everything," Sanji demanded as he held tightly onto the lighter and his sanity.

Ivankov held out her hands to him and he reached to take them when her hands stopped short just inches away. Suddenly, needles came out from the tips of her gloves and she stabbed them into her own hips.

Almost instantly, her chest flattened and widened. Her whole body turned into that of a giant man with an angled chin, broad shoulders, and stocky legs. "And who are you?!" Ivankov demanded in a husky low voice.

"Damn it! I knew that was going to happen," Sanji exclaimed with fury, "Screw you!"

"And how do you know Straw Boy?!"

"I'm his nakama," Sanji stated.

Ivankov raised an eyebrow. "Come with me," he ordered.

Sanji followed Ivankov back to the pink castle that sat in the middle of the island. When they got to the lobby, Ivankov sat on his plush pink throne and gazed down at Sanji. He pulled out a stack of wanted posters and he held them up one by one for Sanji to see.

"This is a picture of Straw Boy."

Sanji nodded to confirm that he was looking at Luffy's wanted poster. "Yes, it is."

Ivankov moved onto the next one. "This one is 'Pirate Hunter' Zoro."

"Don't know him!" Sanji cried out furiously.

"This is 'Cat Burgler' Nami."

"Yes, it is! Nami-swan!" Sanji cooed.

"This is 'Cannoball' Nana."

Tears streamed down Sanji's face as he looked at her picture. "Nwwanwwwaaaaa," he blubbered, "Wait for me. I'm coming for you!"

"And...this is you?" Ivankov said as he switched the poster to show Sanji that damn drawing of his own wanted poster.

"No! That's not me!" he vehemently denied.

"SEE?!" Ivankov seethed, "Then there's no proof that you say who you say you are!"

"I told you that I am!" Sanji shouted back, "Tell me how Luffy is doing now, you queer king! I know that you were with him from the newspaper!"

"Then this is you?" Ivankov asked again, holding out Sanji's poster closer to the man's face.

"I said that it's not!" Sanji shrieked and then he collapsed onto his knees. "It's not but...the name is mine...it's just the sketch..."

He started to vomit up blood, as his entire being was screaming at him to not acknowledge the photo. "That weird guy on that poser is definitely me...I know Nana didn't mean to draw it so poorly but...that weird guy is definitely me. As much as I love her, I still can't completely accept her drawing of me."

Ivankov's eyes widened. "Nana? Did you mean Mizu Nana?"

"Of course I mean Mizu Nana," Sanji seethed, "I already told you I'm one of the Straw Hats! Nana is the love of my life!"

Ivankov leaned a little further and peered closely at him. "Stalker?"

"Who you calling a stalker?!" Sanji barked back.

Ivankov tapped a finger against his angular chin. "You say you love her...Does she love you back?"

"What's it to you?!" Sanji snapped.

"I saw her recently," Ivankov stated, "With Straw Boy."

Sanji ran up the steps to the throne and grabbed Ivankov by the straps. "Where?! Where is she now?! Was she with Luffy?! Is she okay?! Those damn marines better not have laid a finger on her."

With one hand, Ivankov shoved Sanji back down the steps. "I have no obligation to tell you anything."

"Screw you!" Sanji roared, "If someone is out there trying to find Nana and hurt her, I need to know! If she's in danger, you better fucking tell me right now or else I will burn this island to the ground with the lighter Nana made with her own hands. Just by the smell of this room, the amount of hairspray and perfume used on this island would send a flame fifty stories high."

He held up the lighter and flicked it open to show Ivankov he was serious. Ivankov's neatly plucked eyebrows flew to the top of his head. "Did you just say Mizu Nana made you a lighter?"

"Yeah! So what?!" Sanji asked.

"May I see it?" Ivankov responded instead.

Sanji immediately took a step back, widening the distance between the two of them and held the lighter closer to his chest. It was his turn to be cautious.

Ivankov studied the cook a little more and then let out a small sigh. "If you let me see the lighter, I will tell you what happened with Straw Boy."

"What about Nana?"

"Her story ties in with Straw Boy's."

Sanji kept a wary eye on the queen as he walked slowly closer to the throne. He held the lighter up between his thumb and finger in front of the queen's face. It was just close enough for inspection but not too close so that if Ivankov tried to make a grab, Sanji could easily move out of the way.

It took less than a second for Ivankov to look at the lighter before his eyes filled with tears. The drag queens around him gasped and they shouted worriedly at their ruler. "Ivankov-sama! Don't cry! Don't be sad!"

"Thank you for your concern," Ivankov sniffed as he wiped some tears away with a lace handkerchief, "I'm okay. I'm not sad. I'm just deeply moved. That lighter...Her...Oh...Gridley-san."

Sanji's eyes widened. "How do you know that name?"

Ivankov looked back at Sanji but this time, his eyes were softer. "If you know that name, that must mean Nana knows too?"

Sanji felt defensive on Nana's behalf. "Yeah but only recently. She just found out about it but she doesn't want anything to do with Gridley D. Sylvia so don't go spreading that name around. It's a part of her life that she had forgotten and wanted to keep that way,"

Ivankov sat back in his throne and a pained look crossed his face. "Is that so?" he moaned, "The way she reacted...It all makes sense now. Oh, to think her father would go that far to protect his daughter."

Sanji's eyes narrowed. "You knew Nana's father?"

Ivankov continued to dab the handkerchief t around his face. "Oh...my makeup," he sniffed and then looked at Sanji, "Oh, you lucky man. To be young and in love…I will tell you about Nana's past. Even if she doesn't want to know, she has a right to know...and I will leave it to you to decide whether or not to tell her."

Sanji stuffed his hands in his pockets and puffed on his cigarette. "I'm listening."

Ivankov folded his gloved hands in his lap. "I knew her father...In fact, I worked with him. Nana's father, Gridley Asher-san, was a weapons manufacturer for the revolutionary army."

"What?" Sanji gasped.

"He originally lived as a mechanic in the South Blue with his daughter, Sylvia. His wife and him were very much in love so when she died from an illness, he kept Sylvia very close to him. I believe his daughter was five, at the time...Even when rumors started to spread about his work and his cover was close to being blown, he fled the island and abandoned his work with her. He should've left her in someone else's care but he just couldn't bear to part with her."

"He was killed in a shipwreck. It was confirmed by a marine working undercover for the revolutionary. He saw the body at the hospital himself," Ivankov stated, "He also saw Sylvia, alive...but Asher-san had made an agreement with the revolutionary army that they would not involve themselves in that child's life. The revolutionary army destroyed all evidence and clues that would lead the marines to Asher-san's work or her daughter."

"You said that he did something to protect Nana. Is she in danger from someone in her past?" Sanji asked.

Ivankov took a deep breath. "Asher-san...he was a devil fruit user. The Magnet Magnet fruit. He was very adept at his power. To the point that there were rumors that he could even affect a person's brain."

Sanji's eyes widened. "Are you saying that-"

Ivankov nodded. "It seems he wiped his own daughter's mind to protect her from his crimes and to eliminate any pain she would feel from his death."

Sanji took a deep breath and digested everything he had heard. "Then...what does this have to do with my lighter?"

Ivankov smiled sadly at Sanji. "When he met his wife, Asher-san was too poor to afford a wedding ring. So he made his wife a lighter out of the scrap metal he had in his shop, because his wife had an un-ladylike habit of smoking cigars. He showed it to me when he was in the process of making it. And even though it's been many years, I recognize his work in the lighter that you are holding now. I guess there are just somethings you can't completely wipe from your child's memories."

"Ah," Sanji said as he held the lighter in his hands.

Suddenly, a newspaper was tossed to his feet. He picked it up and looked at Ivankov curiously.

"Here, there's the story of Straw Boy from today's newspaper," Ivankov said, "The one you had been holding is a day late...This newspaper will tell you what you need to know about the events at Marineford. It won't mention Syl-..er...Nana as she came at at the end to save Straw Boy. It wasn't until they escaped that I was able to see her."

"Thank you…" Sanji said as he unrolled the newspaper, "I appreciate your help."

"Some of us at the revolutionary army...the ones who knew Asher-san, have been silently cheering Nana on for years. Hoping that she would live a full and happy life, as her father would've wished for her," Ivankov said, "So I'm telling you this so that you can help make that happen."

Sanji nodded, not looking up from the newspaper. "I was planning on doing that even without you saying so," he growled and then his eyes fell on a photo on the front page and he almost dropped his cigarette.

It was a photo of Luffy. The caption below it stated that he had returned to Marineford to pay his respects for his brother. He looked like hell with bandages wrapped all around him except for one shoulder, which showed a tattoo that Sanji had never seen before. In that hand, he held his straw hat on this chest with his head bowed low, sincerely towards the camera...A group of marines stood behind him, with their weapons pointed at him and...someone else, who stood slightly behind the rubber man.

Sanji inhaled a shaky breath as his eyes shifted over to Nana, with her goggles on her head and Pygmy sitting by her feet. She had her head bowed too, just like her captain, and her hand clasped tightly to something around her neck. He wished she had her eyes opened so he could see those beautiful, sparkling eyes. There were dark circles under them and she looked tired. What happened, Nana? Are you okay?

Sanji's eyes soaked in every detail of that picture. He knew that Luffy wasn't the type of person for formalities and his captain was acting out of character for a reason.  _What are you to say Luffy? What are you trying to tell us?_

His eyes caught the writing on Luffy's shoulder. To the naked eye it resembled the tattoo that Ace had but Luffy's had different characters. Instead of ASL...his was 3D2Y...With the 3D crossed out.

Instantly, Sanji got it. Luffy was telling him to wait 2 years to come to Sabaody...and Nana's message was as clear as day with her hands clasping tightly to the necklace he had given her and standing directly behind her captain, supporting in his decision.

_Please wait 2 years. Don't come for me. I love you._

Sanji took a long shaky breath as he ran a finger over the photo, as if he could touch her through the thin paper.  _Nana...I love you. I'll wait. I miss you...but I'll wait._

Ivankov was getting bored of watching Sanji peruse the newspaper and he drummed his fingers on the armchair of his throne. "Well, if you're going to read the newspaper, you might as well do it at the dinner table. We should eat."

Sanji rolled up the newspaper and smirked for the first time in what felt like forever. "It's bad manners to read at the table and I'm done with this article anyways. It had all the information I need."

They went to the dining hall, which was covered in pink fabric and pink accent lights, where a full three course meal was already waiting for them. Sanji sat at one end of the table while Ivankov sat at the other end. They started to eat and when Sanji took his first bite, he was stunned to find that the food was perfectly prepared.

"Oy," he asked Ivankov as he took another bite, "Who cooked this meal? It tastes good and oddly, I feel like I'm getting more energized.'

"Oh! You have a quite a discriminate palette," Ivankov grinned, "It's a dish of aggression!"

"Aggression?!"

Ivankov leapt to his feet and pulled back a pink curtain to reveal a throng of drag queens waiting behind it. "That's right! There are a lot of chefs on this island who can make this dish!"

The queen gestured to his followers. "All the candies here have gotten their physique from eating the dish of aggression! What you eat is important for your condition, physique, and personality. It builds the whole body!"

"Food builds body? I never thought about it that way," Sanji murmured as he ate another bite, "I can help my nakama build their bodies with daily meals…"

Then his nose spurted out with blood and he leapt to his feet excitedly. "Does this mean I can make Nwanwa, Nami-swan, and Robin-chwan even sexier than they are now?!"

He closed his eyes and pictured the three ladies naked. His nosebleed intensified and it soaked through the front of his shirt. "Ahhhh! Teach me how to cook this dish of aggression!"

"No!" Ivankov screamed as he landed a kick across Sanji's face, "These 99 Vital Recipes are a part of the new Kama Kempo Techniques' training for married life! If you want to learn it, you must have a girlish heart and learn the new Kama Kempo!"

"I'm not learning the new Kama Kempo!" Sanji shouted, "You said so yourself that you want Nana to live a full and happy life. Well, if these 99 vital recipes are part of the training for married life, why can't you teach it to me?!"

Ivankov's eyes widened. "Are you saying...that...you want to marry…"

"I told you already," Sanji said with a puff of his cigarette, "Nana is the love of my life. I don't know if we will get married in the future but I'm committing to her until my last dying breath."

"Heehaw!" Ivankov cheered as he raised his hands in excitement, "You're a passionate man. I like you so I'll give you a chance."

"A chance?"

"Since you insist on not learning the new Kama Kempo, I'll hand out the recipes to 99 grand masters on this island. If you're a real recipe, get all the recipes from them. However, every candy on this island will try to put this sweet dress on you day and night," Ivankov said as he held up a white cotton dress with puffed sleeves, "I want to see if you can maintain your commitment to Nana and your manhood."

Sanji gritted his teeth as he stared at the giggling group of drag queens surrounding him.

"Sanji vs the Home of the New Kama Kempo!" Ivankov declared, "If you can win this fight, I'll give you a ship too! You can have it all! So...what do you say?"

Sanji smirked and stuffed his hands in his pockets. He closed his eyes and thought about his commitment to Luffy. He had promised that man that he would help him on his journey to become the King of Pirates. "When I beat all of them, I bet I'll be much stronger than I am now," he muttered.

His fingers brushed against his lighter and his mind flashed to the image of Nana vanishing right before his eyes, with his hand outstretched. "I'll be much more reliable."

_Luffy...Nana...The next time you see me, I'm going to be a better man. I won't just sit idly by for the next 2 years. Just wait and see...I'm going to be the manliest of men!_

He lifted his head and glared at Ivankov. "I accept!"


	57. Girl Talk

After one year living in Amazon Lily, Nana had been shot by Haki coated arrows fifty-three times. She'd been turned to stone by Hancock's Slave Arrow twenty-seven times. She had been set on fire by Marigold at least a dozen times and she had only had a 30 percent success rate of landing a hit on Sandersonia. She was struggling with using her Haki but what really tired her out, what exhausted her more than anything, was the girl talk she begrudgingly participated in every night.

The village women were extremely curious about life with a man. When they discovered that Nana not only had them on her ship but was raised by only men, she became inundated with questions that she never thought she had to answer. As much as Granny Nyon tried to stop the women from being too curious about the opposite gender, Nana got at least two or three women at her door every night. All waiting to pounce on her with their questions as soon as she returned from her training.

Tonight, Nana found Enishida, who she knew as one of Hancock's palace attendants, and Kikyo at her door. Nana sighed and rubbed her aching left shoulder before unlocking her door and motioning for them to enter.

The women were nice enough to set her up in a tiny house right outside the palace and near the stadium where they hosted daily tournaments. When Nana first came into the village, the Gorgon Sisters had thrown her into a fight everyday for the first six months. They took away her glove and her hammer, insisting that she had to learn hand to hand combat.

Without them, she had only won a handful of fights. It wasn't the lack of strength or stamina on Nana's end that led to her many defeats. It was just that damn Haki. The Gorgon Sisters stopped entering her into the tournaments when it was clear just throwing her into combat wasn't going to work.

For now, Nana spent her days training with one of the Gorgon Sisters, usually Sandersonia. When they were busy with their own pirate activity, it was up to Granny Nyon and Kikyo to look over her training while they were gone. In the mornings, Nana would work on building new weapons or upgrading her glove and hammer. In the afternoons and evenings, she would be training and wouldn't come home until midnight. They trained her with the goal to re-enter her into the tournaments during her last six months on the island.

"I'm surprised to see you here, Kikyo," Nana said as she went straight to her bathroom sink to wet a towel. Pygmy climbed onto a plush red pillow that served as his bed, "Besides Granny Nyon, you're the most adamant about keeping your distance with men."

Kikyo sat herself at Nana's dining table and crossed her arms over her chest. She shot an annoyed look at Nana, while the mechanic wiped away the dirt and sweat from her face. "I just want to be more prepared if a man comes into our island again. It is my duty to protect the women here so I want to be familiar with the enemy."

Nana raised an eyebrow and looked over at Enishida, who took a seat across from Kikyo, "Is that why you're here too?'

Enishida blushed and shook her head fervently. "I heard rumors…about you…"

Nana came out of the bathroom. "Rumors? What rumors?"

Enishida's face turned even redder. "About...you with a man on the pirate crew," she whispered.

Nana's hand went straight to her pendant and she eyed Enishida. "You mean Sanji?"

The girl nodded her head and stared down at her hands. Nana smirked and looked over at Kikyo. "I'm under strict orders from Granny Nyon not to talk about it. She doesn't want you girls to get any crazy ideas about love."

"B-B-But I'm not asking because I want to be in love," Enishida said as she found the courage to look at Nana, "I'm asking this for the Snake Princess."

Nana tilted her head and looked at Enishida curiously. "Hancock? What about her?"

Kikyo pounded her fist on the table. "While you are in our kingdom, you will show our ruler respect. You will refer to her as 'Snake Princess' or 'Pirate Empress'."

Nana rolled her eyes. "Give it up, Kikyo. If Hancock herself can't make me, you sure as hell can't."

"You..." Kikyo started to say but then decided to let it go. A year had passed and she had made no headway with this argument, "Fine."

Nana nodded over to Enishida. "So what do you want to know and how is it going to help your precious princess?" she asked as she pulled up a chair and rested her feet on the table.

"The Princess, she's constantly worried about your captain and she doesn't focus as much on the Kuja Pirates. She's more concerned with how Luffy is doing. She sometimes doesn't even eat because she's so lovesick," Enishida confided, "I'm just wondering if you are the same."

Nana scoffed and went over to her kitchen. She pulled a big plate of meat out of the fridge to prove to Enishida she was the exact opposite of Hancock. "I'm fine," Nana said as she took a big bite out of the food, "See? Don't put me in the same mindset as Hancock."

"Are you not worried about him? The one that you love?"

Nana swallowed the chunk of food in her mouth and grinned at Enishida. "Of course I am but there's no use for me to worry about it when there's nothing I can do about it now. I can only have faith that he's okay and I'll see him when this is all over."

She took another bite.

"Do you think he's worried about you?"

Nana raised an eyebrow. "Yes…," she said with her mouthful, "Unless he's trapped on an island of women like I am. Then probably not."

The two Kuja women looked at Nana in shock. "Do men love multiple women?"

"This one does," Nana said and she couldn't help but smiling at her love-obsessed cook.

Enishida and Kikyo shared a look of confusion and Nana laughed. "Love is a hurricane."

That seemed to mystify the women even more so Nana decided to change the subject. "So, Kikyo, what do  _you_  want to know about men?" She then grinned mischievously, "Oh! Maybe I can guess. Let's see...Marguerite wanted to know about the stretchiness of their skins. Sweet Pea wanted to know about the...er…"mushroom" between their legs. Did you want to know something about their body too?"

Kikyo nodded. "I want to know how and why they hide their jewels in their body."

Nana tilted her head to the side. "Jewels?"

Kikyo nodded again. "The family jewels. When Luffy first came, we saw the sack between his legs and he said that's where he held his family jewels...but if he took it out to show it to us it would kill him. So why hide them there in the first place then? It makes no sense."

Nana burst into hysterical laughter and it woke up Pygmy. He perked his ears and stared curiously at his owner. "How do I explain it so that Granny Nyon won't yell at me later…" Nana said when she finally caught her breath. She tapped her chin, "Let's just say...they were born with the jewels and not only is their lives tied to those jewels but also their future descendents. So if you took the jewels, you wouldn't just be taking his life but his future sons and daughters as well…So...best not to take them unless that person really deserved it."

"I see," Kikyo said solemnly, "No wonder Luffy didn't want to show it to us."

"Nana-san," Enishida said slowly, "May I ask you another question?"

Nana yawned but nodded. "Sure, but last one. I have to wake up early tomorrow."

"How did you get a man to fall in love with you?" Enishida asked, "Maybe we can do the same with Snake Princess and Luffy."

Nana snorted and shook her head. "There's no real way to force love especially on someone as dense as Luffy. I'm sorry but Hancock's lovesickness is something she will have to deal with on her own...There is no cure."

"How did your man fall in love with you?" Kikyo demanded, "Was it because of how you looked? Your fighting skills?"

Nana shrugged and lifted her hands in the air. "Hell if I knew," she replied, "I don't even know how the hell  _I_ fell in love with him. I tried to avoid it from happening...but by the time I realized I was in love, it was too late."

"It must be how you looked," Enishida said with a nod, "You're very beautiful, Nana-san, with all your scars and muscles."

Nana smiled at her kind words. "Thank you but I don't think that's the case. You all judge beauty differently than the outside world...and besides I'm not that powerful yet."

She sighed and looked over at Kikyo. "My Armament Haki needs so much work and I just got the hang of sensing incoming attacks  _before_  they happen. I'd be lucky if I can win more than half my fights in the tournaments."

Kikyo smirked. "You have six more months before your first match and if this is your way of asking me to take it easy on you when  _I_ enter, then you can forget it."

Nana placed her hands on her hips. "I'd rather lose than have a meaningless win."

"Snake Princess won't let you fight with your hammer or any weapons?" Enishida asked worriedly.

Nana raised her fists and flexed her arms. "No but I'm beginning to see her point. My weapons are limited only by my own strength and speed. I need to build myself up physically." She then shot a warning look over to her two guests. "But don't tell Hancock that I agree with her."

Kikyo and Enishida shared another baffled look but they both gave in and nodded back at the mechanic. Then Kikyo pushed back her chair and got up to her feet. "Well then, I think it's time for the both of us to leave. We've taken up enough of your time."

Enishida gave Nana's hand a friendly squeeze before she said her goodbyes. She was always so nice and gentle. Nana had always thought it was a shame such a sensitive girl was left to take care of Hancock.

Nana leaned against her doorframe as she watched Kikyo and Enishida walk away towards their own houses. As soon as they were out of view, she closed the door and flopped on her bed, stomach side down. The plate of meat she had made such a big show of eating in front of Enishida was left untouched on the table.

She wasn't completely honest to Enishida. She was worried about Sanji...and Franky...and everyone else. She knew Luffy was in good hands with Rayleigh but what about the rest of them? They could handle themselves and she was sure they were surviving on their own but what if they were miserable?

Was anyone making sure Sanji wasn't smoking up a storm? Is Franky in a place with enough cola? What if they gave him tea? Would he get so laid back that he would take too long to come back?

And Usopp-sama? What if he's on a dangerous island? Would he be okay to fend for himself? Same goes for Chopper and Nami...and Robin...she's been escaping for 20 years...what if the marines have caught up to her? And Brook. He stuck out like a sore thumb. There was no way he would go unnoticed...and Zoro...would he even know how to navigate a ship let alone follow a Vivre Card to Sabaody?

All those thoughts coursed through her mind almost on an hourly basis and it was all she could do not to go crazy with worry. The only thing she could do to cope was to immerse herself in her training and just focus on how strong she needed to become. How strong she  _will_  become.

She had no other choice. Her captain will not go through anymore loss and she will do whatever it takes to ensure it. Luffy would become the King of Pirates and she will make sure that the Straw Hats never have to be unwillingly separated again. Not while she was around.

Nana's hand closed over her necklace and she closed her eyes.  _You guys...one more year...and then we can all see each other again. Just you wait. You're going to see a better, stronger Nana._

* * *

"Is that all you got?" Hancock demanded haughtily the next day. She had decided to come out and see Nana's progress, which irked the mechanic. They were out in the forest and she sat on the sidelines on top of her coiled snake while Nana tried to avoid the incoming attacks of the anaconda-formed Sandersonia. Marigold watched silently next to her Big Sister.

"Shut up and go away," Nana barked back as she leapt out of the way so that her head didn't get bitten by Sandersonia's monstrous jaws, "I'm not training for your amusement. If you're that bored, go plan an actual wedding with Luffy or something. Don't come bothering me."

"Oh, Luffy!" Hancock sighed as she pressed her hands against her warming cheeks. She leaned back against her snake, "Do you think he's doing okay? Do you think Rayleigh is taking good care of him?"

Nana slid on her knees on the wet grass and ducked her head to avoid a powerful tail attack. "He's fine! He's been thrown into jungles and god knows what else Garp put him through ever since he was little. Are you here to watch me train or did you just needed an excuse to talk about Luffy?"

"Luffy."

Nana fell flat onto the ground just out of sheer exasperation, leaving an opening for Sandersonia to coil around her. She squeezed Nana and pinned her arms to her side. "I win," Sandersonia hissed.

"Not fair! It's bad enough you won't let me fight with my actual weapons against your powers but now I have Hancock over there annoying me!" Nana snapped as she struggled against the snake's hold.

Hancock flipped her hair and raised her chin haughtily at the mechanic. "You'll forgive me...Yes, because I'm beautiful."

"How about I fucking knock your teeth out and we'll see how much people forgive you then?!" Nana cried as she pushed herself free from Sandersonia's grip and leapt back onto the ground. "You're lucky that I don't have my hammer or else I would beat the pretty right out of you."

Hancock raised an eyebrow. "Fine. Go get your hammer. I'll fight you myself."

Nana was about to run and do just that, when she was suddenly stopped by Marigold. The orange haired Gorgon put a hand on Nana's shoulder. "Big Sister," Marigold interrupted, "This is not why you insisted on coming down to observe today, remember? You came to talk. Not fight."

"Talk?" Nana said and then she stared exasperatedly at Hancock, "Why the hell do you want to talk to me?"

"Everyone else in the village gets to get their answers about love and men. Why can't I? I am the Snake Princess after all," Hancock huffed childishly.

Nana gaped at the Warlord. "You...You're here because you want to have some  _girl talk_  with me?!"

To Nana's amazement, the Warlord blushed furiously and she averted her eyes from the mechanic. "I-I-I'm here to oversee your training," she insisted stubbornly, "I can't have someone weak on Luffy's crew. They need to be strong in order to protect him."

Nana leaned her elbows on Hancock's snake and grinned cheekily at the Snake Princess. "What do you want to know? What's Luffy's favorite food? What are his hobbies? What's it like living every single day with him? Because I can tell you all of that."

Hancock's face became even redder as she pictured spending every day with Luffy. "I just...wanted to know about the other women in Luffy's life? Is he around them a lot?"

"Yes," Nana stated and Hancock snapped to attention. "Nami has practically been with Luffy from the very beginning. He also risked life and limb to get Robin back when those CP-shits took her. And let's not forget me. He also got proposed to by Lola when we were at Thriller Bark but that doesn't really count because she kinda asked every guy all at once."

"Does...he love any of them?" Hancock asked.

"Yes," Nana said and watched Hancock's head slump down defeatedly.

She chuckled and decided to stop toying with Hancock. "But not in the sense that you think love is. We're all just his nakama. I don't think Luffy has ever seen a woman more than just a friend or family member, to be honest. Luffy's pretty dense sometimes."

"I know," Hancock said softly, "I am aware of the man I am in love with...and there's nothing I can do about it."

Nana sat cross legged on the floor and leaned back against her elbows. "Don't I know it," she sighed as she stared up at the sky, "I'm in love with a man obsessed with women."

"And that doesn't bother you?"

"Lust is not the same as love," Nana replied with a smile as her hand went up to touch her necklace, "I've grown up with enough men to see the difference. Besides, if he wasn't that way, I don't even know if I'd have fallen in love with him."

"How so?" Marigold gasped, startling everyone by the break in her calm demeanor, including herself.

"Because if you take away Sanji's love for women, you take away his caring nature, his staunch insistence of chivalry, and his selflessness...And that wouldn't be him," Nana answered and then turned to Hancock, "If I asked him to change, I'm sure he would try for me but I love him for who he is and not who he could be. You wouldn't want to change Luffy would you?"

"Ah, to change Luffy…" Hancock swooned as she thought about helping Luffy take off his shirt.

Nana looked at Hancock's glazed eyes and snorted. "It's so obvious what you are thinking about right now. At least pay attention to people when you're asking them questions!"

"Big Sister," Sandersonia hissed, "We should really continue with our training. Especially if Nana needs to win the tournament without her weapons and using only her bare fists."

"Let her use her weapons," Hancock said with a lazy wave of her hand.

"What?!" Nana and Hancock's sisters shouted.

"I thought you said it would be best for me to learn how to fight without them!" Nana demanded.

Hancock shrugged. "I changed my mind."

Nana flared her nostrils. "You are such an annoying woman."

"You'll forgive me because I'm beautiful," Hancock said with a flip of her hair, "And because I might have something you would want."

Nana raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"We came across a marine ship on our last trip and we took their supplies. They had a couple of crates of iron ores and weaponry that you might want to tinker with."

Nana's eyes widened. "And you'll let me have them?"

Hancock feigned boredom and yawned. "It doesn't matter to me. Those weapons are nothing compared to what the Kuja Tribe has."

"Wow, Hancock...That's actually really nice of you," Nana breathed and then she narrowed her eyes, "What's the catch?"

"You think there's a catch?"

"With you? Yes," Nana said.

"I was thinking about taking you back to Sabaody a little earlier than planned. That way I can take Luffy back by himself and it'll just be me and him on the ship."

"I knew it!"


	58. Reunited

_\- Somewhere near Grove #42 -_

Sanji inhaled the sweet scent of freedom as he stepped foot onto the docks of Sabaody Archipelago. Finally, after two long years, he was back where he belonged and far away from his pink hued hell. Everything around him was green, such a beautiful green. Green trees, green grass, and even better, several women wearing green items of clothing.

"Ahhhh!" he cheered, "Women! Real ones!"

His heart pounded against his chest as tears of joy fell from his eyes. He scanned the women up and down. No signs of stubble. They had delicate features and long, shapely legs. It was all there. He threw his arms up and ran after them in delight. "Viva Sabaody! I need ladies!"

"Sanji-kun!" a breathy, burly voice called after him. It hit Sanji in a wave of nausea, "We'll leave you here. I don't want to part but I hope see you again somewhere in the future!"

The cook turned to glare at the group of drag queens that had escorted him to Sabaody. "I don't want to see you again. Thank you for the ride. Say 'hi' to Ivan. Bye!" he stated brusquely as he turned on his heels and ran as far and as fast as he could, "I'm Sanji, the real man! Nwanwa, here I come! Your love is back! Nami-swan, Robin-chwan! Wait for meeeeee!"

He followed Rayleigh's Vivre Card all the way to Shakky's Rip Off Bar and he practically skipped up the steps. "Nwanwaaaaaaa!" he shouted and flung the door wide open.

He was crestfallen to see that it was practically unoccupied. Shakky was behind the bar and Rayleigh was reading a newspaper on the bench by the windows. Sanji sighed but couldn't be too disappointed. At least they were good company. Of course, that assessment didn't count the heavily bandaged Duvall and several of his equally wounded men resting at the back of the bar.

"Rayleigh-san, Shakky-chan," Sanji greeted, completely ignoring the Rosy Riders or whatever the hell they called themselves these days.

"Oh, look who it is," Shakky said with a smile as Sanji took a seat at the bar. She lit a new cigarette and then offered to light one for him but he politely declined. He took his own lighter out.

"Am I the first one here?" Sanji asked.

Shakky shook her head. "Zoro-chan came here first."

"What?! The shitty swordsman got here first?!" Sanji shouted incredulously, "Ugh, that's a bad omen. The road ahead is going to be difficult for us, isn't it?"

"Mizu-chan came second ten days ago and Franky-chan came third. He arrived on the same day as Mizu-chan."

"Nwanwaaaa!" Sanji jumped out of his seat, "She's already here? She didn't come with Luffy?!"

Rayleigh shook his head, "I only trained Luffy-kun-"

"What?! You trained Luffy?" Sanji gasped, "He must be incredibly strong now." Then he looked curiously at Rayleigh. "So then what happened with Nana? Where is she?"

Rayleigh smiled, "We parted ways when I left with Luffy-kun. As for what she did and where she went, I'll leave that for her to tell. I haven't seen Luffy-kun myself in six months since I had to come back for the coating. I can't wait to see his progress."

"Progress," Sanji repeated with a thoughtful nod, "I wonder what kind of progress Nana has made...and even Nami-san and Robin-chan!"

Blood spurted out of his nose as he lifted his glass of whisky to his lips. His mind was already in a dreamlike state.

"Are you okay?" Rayleigh asked with a raised eyebrow.

Shakky smiled and handed Sanji a napkin. "I haven't seen Mizu-chan or Franky-chan since they first arrived. They both went to the ship."

"How is the Sunny?" Sanji asked and wiped his nose.

Rayleigh nodded. "All good, of course. There isn't even a scratch and the coating is done."

"That's good."

Rayleigh nodded over at Duvall. "They did a great job protecting it."

Duvall smiled prettily back. "There's no regret for honorable wounds."

"I didn't know you had such a strong sense of duty," Sanji said as he sat back down in his stool, "Thank you, Duvall."

"What? Handsome?" Duvall asked as he twitched his face in an attempt to weak.

"Oh yeah! Nami-chan came in fourth," Shakky continued on with her report.

"Nami-chwan!" Sanji shouted excitedly as he sat back at the bar, "Where is she?"

"She went to go shopping to kill time. Usopp-chan came fifth, three days ago, and went to town. Chopper-chan was the sixth and he came in two days. Brook-chan has a concert today on this island and now you," Shakky said, "So eight members so far have arrived."

Sanji nodded. "So...Robin-chan and Luffy still haven't arrived?" His eyes gleamed and two heavy streams of steam came out of his nose. "That means Nana and I have time to go to the Amusement Park!"

He leapt out of his seat and ran out the door. "I'm coming, Nwaaanwaaaaa! We're going to pack two years worth of dates into one!"

"My my, he sure is passionate," Shakky mused. She took another drag off her cigarette.

"I just came back from the Sunny," Rayleigh said with a grin, "I wonder if I should've mentioned to him that she wasn't there…"

"He'll figure it out," Shakky replied.

* * *

_\- Somewhere in Grove #47 -_

Bang!

A gunshot rang out on a busy street in the shopping district. Nana's eyes narrowed as she watched a woman with long black hair fall to the ground with a bullet wound in her leg. "Pygmy...hold this," Nana said as she lowered a small tote bag filled with tools and equipment for the Sunny. Her dog obediently held it in its mouth.

A small boy knelt down beside his mother and clung fearfully to her arm. "Mom! Mom! Are you okay?"

Nana's eyes moved to the woman's attacker. His black greasy hair was covered by a frayed straw hat. His pot belly was not even close to being covered by his red vest and it sagged over his dirty jean shorts.

"This is what happens when you get in my way," he said without any sincerity as he drew back his gun, "Watch where you're going next time!"

A crowd began to form around this tense scene. "'Straw Hat' Luffy is horrible. He shot her just because he didn't want to move to the side?" someone next to Nana murmured.

"You're such a meanie!" the little boy screamed, "Why did you do that to my mother?!"

The Luffy imposter aimed his gun at the son. "Don't tell me you have something against me…" he sneered. He cocked the gun, "Because it seems like you do."

The little boy's eyes widened fearfully and his mother threw her body over him to shield him.

"Oy, fatty. Mind getting out of my way?"

The whole crowd fell into a scared silence as all eyes turned towards the mechanic, who made her way towards the Luffy imposter. She stood in front of the mother and son. "If you get to hurt people just because they crossed your path," Nana asked calmly with a raised eyebrow, "Does that mean I get to hurt you too?"

"Do you know who I am?!" the fake Luffy demanded, "I'm 'Straw Hat' Luffy! Don't you know I'm the Revolutionary Dragon's son?!"

Nana said nothing and she scanned the group behind him. Fake Sogeking was a tall man with a pointier nose than Usopp. Fake Franky looked like he was in his late fifties and way too old to be pulling a stunt like this. Fake Nami was just terrible. Nothing on her resembled anything like the real deal except the color of the hair. Then, Nana almost lost her temper when she saw her own copy-cat. It was a squat old woman with a ratty looking aviator helmet and goggles resting on top of her dirty brown hair. There was soot smudged all over her face and there was a boil on her nose.

Nana mentally counted to ten to cool off. She feigned a yawn and then tossed her head back the way she had seen Hancock do way too many times to piss off her audience. "I really don't care...and you can get mad all you want but in the end, you'll let me go."

"What makes you say that?" the Fake Luffy sneered.

"Because I'm beautiful," Nana said with a smile and waited for him to take it all in. Courtesy of the Kuja Tribe (in other words, the whole village insisted and Nana could not dissuade them), the mechanic was now in a much more flattering and less practical (in Nana's opinion) outfit.

She kept her leather corset, which was freshly coated in the beeswax as soon as she had arrived on Sabaody. Instead of a long sleeved shirt, she wore a tank top with a swooped neck-line that showcased her necklace, nestled just above her cleavage.

She had replaced her long pants with pale yellow shorts with a small pouch strapped to her right thigh. She wore a tan leather duster over everything and it stopped right above her knees. The sleeves of the duster stopping just past her elbows. On her back, she carried a leather backpack, which was also coated in her beeswax and held one of her newest creations. The back of the backpack also had straps to hold her hammer.

Her hair was cut short into a bob that grazed the back of her neck. She had cut it right before she entered the tournaments on Maiden Island in the last 6 months. She didn't want anyone to grab her hair and use that to her advantage. Her helmet and goggles were left on the Sunny, since she didn't want to get recognized.

Nana watched as the fake Luffy's eyes went down her body and then back up. The grin on his face was creepy and Nana wanted nothing more than to bash his two front teeth in. Howevern, she knew she had to wait for her moment so she kept her metal gloved hands relaxed at her sides and her hammer on her back.

"What the hell are you talking about?" the fake Nami shouted in an annoyingly nasal voice, "You think our captain will fall for such a scratched up body like yourself?!"

Nana sighed and shrugged at Pygmy. "It was worth a shot. I just always wanted to see what would happen if I tried that."

Pygmy barked back and wagged his tail.

"I'll show you what it means to talk down to me and interfere with me!" the fake Luffy shouted as he pulled the trigger.

_Bang! Bang!_

"Big Sis!" the little boy cried.

"Catch," Nana muttered under her breath, while she held her left fist in front of her face.

"You'll let me pass...because not only am I beautiful," she said and slowly opened her fist, one finger at a time, until two bullets dropped to the ground, "But guns don't work on me."

Nana then reached into the pouch, belted on her thigh. She opened the flap and took a small black metal ball the size of a marble. She smiled at the fake Straw Hat crew as she flicked it forward with her glove, using the repelling energy of it. "Let's see if this works on you."

_Boom!_

A small but powerful explosion broke at their feet, flinging the entire crew to the ground, as if a cannonball had just hit them. Smoke came out of their mouths as they lay motionless. Nana shook her head and squatted next to the boy and his mother.

"Who...who are you?!" the boy gasped.

Nana grinned. "I'm just a mechanic."

She then turned her attention to the boy's mother. "Are you okay?" she asked. She frowned at the gunshot wound on the mother's leg, "I remember someone mentioning there was a hospital at Grove #41. We can take you there."

'Th-th-thank you so much!" the woman wept as Nana placed the boy on Pygmy's back and then threw the woman's arm over her shoulder.

"Don't mention it," Nana said, "I needed a reason to test out my latest weapon, anyway."

"Big Sis, what was that marble that you shot out?" the boy asked excitedly.

Nana grinned as they continued to walk. "Well, you see, I took a normal cannonball and found a way to compact its metal compound so that…"

* * *

Nana left the boy and mother at the hospital once a doctor arrived to treat the wound. She patted the boy on the head and walked casually back to the Sunny. She smiled excitedly at the thought of being able to explain her new weapons and improvements to Franky.

He had changed and upgraded so much that when they weren't getting the Sunny ready, she was busy learning about all the new tech Franky had put in himself. Now that she had a full gauge of Franky's powers, including the ridiculous installment of his nipple lights, it was her turn to show him all the progress she had made. The only thing she was able to show him, at this point, was the largest thing she had made because she needed to build a new dock in the docking system to house it.

She couldn't wait to get back to the Sunny and see who else had arrived. So far, she had only seen Zoro. From what Rayleigh had told her this morning, Chopper, Nami, and Usopp should've been around too so she wondered why the they hadn't come to the ship yet. She could just picture the dazzled look on their face when they see Franky. At least for Usopp and Chopper. Nana didn't think Nami would be as appreciative.

The thought of Chopper made her worry. She had seen the recruitment posters around town for the fake Straw Hats. She had knew immediately that it was run by imposters because none of it was Luffy's style. Her captain recruited people by who he liked, not by how much their bounties were worth.

Most of her nakama would probably not pay any attention to these posters but there were a couple of them that were a little slow to catch on. Chopper being one and a certain green haired man being the other.

_Purupurupurpurupurupuru._

The sound of a transponder snail interrupted her thoughts and she reached into the tote bag to get out the baby snail Franky had insisted she take with her.

_Catcha._

"Ow! Ow! Are you super ready to go, Nana-brat?"

"Yeah, I'm heading back now," Nana said and then she froze, "Ready to go?! Does this mean everyone's already back on the ship?!"

She started to run frantically back.  _Guys...they're back! Sanji!_

"Ow! Wait! Super don't come to Grove #41. We're moving the ship to #42."

Nana skidded to a halt. "#42? Why?"

"The Navy has set out. The poster you saw in town for the fake Straw Hats...Seems like they're taking it super seriously. They think it's actually us."

"What?! They look nothing like us! Franky, you should see the guy who is trying to be you," Nana said exasperatedly

"Super not the point, Nana-brat," Franky replied, "Just use your mutt and meet us at Grove #42."

"Wait, why are we moving the ship? Why aren't we just sailing off when I get there?" Nana asked.

"Because we're super waiting for Luffy. Rayleigh says he's here but he hasn't come to the ship yet," Franky said, "And-"

"Say no more," Nana replied, "I can get him."

"With Pygmy?"

Nana smiled, "No, Pygmy has some stuff he needs to drop off to you. I can find him on my own."

"Are you sure? Because I can go into Dock #7 and-"

"Keep your hands on your own weapons, Franky," Nana smirked, "Dock #7 is my contribution. No one gets to operate it except me, especially the first time."

Catcha.

She hung up the transponder snail before Franky could even tell her that they were waiting on Zoro, Sanji, and Brook as well. Nana grinned at Pygmy. "Go track Franky and give him the tools. I'll go find Luffy."

Pygmy barked and ran off while Nana closed her eyes. She activated her Haki and tapped into the sounds around her. Immediately, her attention went to Grove #46 where she could hear the roars and battlecries of hundreds of pirates.  _The recruitment...,_ she thought with a scowl.

_"What's the matter with this guy? Zoro, Sanji, do you know him?"_

Nana's eyes flung open, recognizing the unmistakable voice of Monkey D. Luffy and she groaned inwardly. "That idiot," she said as she ran towards the noise, thankful that Grove #46 was close by, "Of course he'd be in the thick of it."

As she ran, she kept her ears open on what was happening at the recruitment. Apparently there was a marine that had infiltrated the group but was spotted right after he reported the gathering to the rest of the Navy. The Fake Luffy had just ordered a man named Caribou to use that marine as a human shield to get away from the Navy. Hostage? So low.

She jumped over a root over a protruding mangrove and kept running forward. She started to sweat when she could hear that things weren't going so well. Caribou had decided instead of following his new captain's orders, he was going to just kill the marine instead. She almost tripped and fell when she heard the sound of a gunshot and the marine's last breath.

_That bastard…_

When Nana got closer to the grove, she realized she was coming at them from behind. There was a huge stone slab that was being used as a stage and she could see the backs of the Fake Straw Hats turned towards her at the top of it. She even spotted a chubby Zoro and a thin Sanji with an afro. Next to them stood a person that was carrying a giant, bulging backpack. She guessed that it was the fake Chopper.

She hurriedly leapt onto the stage and was about to punch the lights out of the fake Zoro when she spotted the person carrying the backpack. He was wearing a fake mustache and a hood over his head but instantly Nana knew who it was. "Why the hell are you just standing here?!" she demanded at her captain.

"Huh? Two Nana's?!" Luffy shouted in surprise.

"N-N-N-Nana?" the fake Sanji stammered.

Nana sucked in a breath and forced herself to remember that Luffy was one of two people in this world who didn't realize Sogeking was Usopp.  _Don't get mad...There's no use. Luffy is naturally dense. You know that._

She put her hands on her hips, "Listen. I'm the real Nana. We can't waste time here. We need to leave and I'll explain everything later. Now!"

"But-," her captain started to protest.

Nana spun around and looked to the front of the stage just as two beams blasted into the battlefield. "Pacifistas!" she gasped as she reached for her hammer.

"Oh, they're the bear-like cyborgs, right?" Luffy asked, "But...Hancock told me not to cause trouble."

Nana could hear the beeping from their scanning eyes and then she grimaced. "Fuck, sounds like they just verified us. We need to get out of here."

"Seriously...Wh-wh-what the hell are you two talking about?" the fake Sanji stuttered.

The fake Luffy gaped at the scene in front of him. He didn't even realize that there was an additional person on the stage with him. He was too horrified by the intense battle that had unleashed because of him. Without a word, he fled down the steps and off the stage. His crew hurriedly rushed after him, leaving Nana and Luffy observing the mess by themselves.

"Oy! Captain, where are you going?!" the fake crew shouted after them.

"Straw Hat Boss, do something!" many pirates shouted up at the fake Luffy.

"Why are they calling me Boss?" the real Luffy asked with a frown.

"Idiot," Nana scoffed, "Can't you see that the other guy was pretending to be you? They weren't calling you boss...They were calling him that."

"WHAT?!" Luffy shouted in surprise, "Are you saying that wasn't the real Zoro? Or the real Sanji? Even Nami and Sogeking were fake?!"

Nana slapped a palm to her face. "Yes! How much do you think people change in two years?! How could you possibly think that old woman was me?!"

"She had your hat," Luffy stated.

"Just because she wore something similar on her head doesn't make her me," Nana seethed as she grabbed Luffy by the collar and began to shake him, heavy backpack and all, "Just like how that guy wearing a straw hat isn't actually you! Why the hell didn't you get smarter over the last two years?!"

"But they looked like the real thing!" Luffy protested as he let Nana shake him like a towel, "How was I supposed to know they were imposters?! Besides, if they're not the real Sanji and Zoro, we should go find the actual ones then."

"That's what I came here to get you for!" Nana roared and dropped her captain, "God damn it, Luffy. Let's just go!"

"Shi-shi-shi-shi. Okay."

They jumped off the stage and had barely made it to a tree on the side when Nana and Luffy quickly leapt back onto the stage just as a laser beam exploded at exactly where they were running towards.

Luffy's backpack and fake mustache dropped onto the floor as he held his straw hat tightly onto his head. "That was close," Luffy breathed and then he glared at the Pacifista, who was standing on the other side of the field.

"What are you doing?!" he demanded, "This bag is holding all my precious lunches."

Nana took the moment to scan the crowd. All eyes were on the two of them, including the marines. Among them was Sentomaru. Of course he'd be here...He was here the last time, Nana thought grumpily, It's like we're never going to be able to catch a break!

She turned the dials on both her gloves before taking the hammer off her back. She stood with her hammer leaned against her shoulder and a hand on her hips. A smirk spread across Nana's face when the look of realization and shock crossed their audiences' faces. "You guys look like you've seen a ghost...or two."

"AHHHHH! So that really is the real Straw Hat?!" she heard the fake Sanji scream.

"A-A-A-And that girl is the real Mizu Nana?!" she heard the fake Nami exclaim.

"Straw Hat!" Nana's eyes shot towards Sentomaru, who made his way through the crowd with three Pacifistas behind him.

"Oh, it's you!" Luffy cried back, "Are you going to get in my way again? I've been told not to cause trouble in order to set sail!"

"Don't worry. You don't need to set sail!" Sentomaru barked, "Unlike two years ago, I'm officially a member of the navy now. So I'm going to catch you here!"

"That's our cue," Nana grumbled.

Suddenly, sounds of metallic clicking and whirring came out of her backpack. Luffy looked curiously over at the mechanic just as two large metallic wings sprouted out of the backpack.

"WHOAHHHHHHH!" he shouted, his eyes sparkling in excitement, "Nana. You can fly?!"

"I was basically fighting snakes for two years, after all," Nana said pointedly as she looked over at him, "I had to level the playing field in some way."

"Great, can you carry my lunches then?" Luffy asked.

"THAT'S TOO HEAVY!" Nana seethed, "AND I AM NOT YOUR PACK MULE!"

"I'm not leaving it behind," Luffy pouted.

"Then carry it yourself!" Nana snapped.

"Enough of this! PX-5!" Sentomaru exclaimed from the sidelines.

The Pacifista opened his mouth and started to charge up his beam. He shot it six short bursts towards Luffy and Nana, three on each side. Luffy dodged it just by tilting his head and not even moving his feet, while Nana swiftly flew up into the air.

"That's slow…" Luffy said as he lowered his hat over his eyes.

Nana started to raise her hammer when Luffy stuck his hand out towards her. "Nana...let me," he ordered.

Nana nodded. "Yes, Captain."

The rubber man pumped up his fist. "Gear Second!"

The Pacifista leapt up into the air towards the rubber man. He shot more beams at Luffy, who leapt up high into the air.

"Gum Gum…" Luffy shouted as he threw back his arm, "Jet Pistol!"

With a ferocious punch to the head, Luffy sent PX-5 smashing hard into the ground, creating a crater of impact. The cyborg started to twitch and from his broken circuits before exploding into a fiery blaze.

"He broke it in a single punch?!" the crowd gasped as Luffy and Nana made their escape.

"Wait! Straw Hat! Mizu Nana!" Sentomaru shouted after them, "PX-8. Go!"

Nana's eyes flashed with mischief and she raised her two metal gloved hands. "Nana Special…"

She clapped her hands together. "Magnetic Crush."

Instantly, the Pacifista condensed into itself as if it had just gone through a trash compactor. It fell to the floor resembling a sparking, smashed can before also exploding.

"Whoahhh! Nana, you now have two gloves?!" Luffy exclaimed as he sprinted forward towards the exit.

"You think I spent two years just working on Haki?" Nana scoffed as she swooped down so that she hovered just above her captain.

"Shi-shi-shi-shi-shi," Luffy laughed.

"Oy, Luffy! Nana! Wait...ARE YOU FLYING?!"

Nana looked up at the sound of Zoro's voice and then her breath caught in her chest at the blonde, who had just skidded to a stop behind him.

"Ohhhhhh!" Luffy shouted excitedly, "Sanji! Zoro! It's no mistake this time! It's been awhile, guys!"

Nana stopped in her tracks as well and softly landed to the ground, with her metal wings still out. Her hand reached up to grip her pendant just as Sanji pulled out his lighter from his pocket. He held it up for her to see and she let out a breath of relief that she had been holding for the last two years.

"Nw-Nw-Nw-Nw," Sanji stuttered as his eyes fell over her. Her beautiful face, her shapely legs, and then his eyes rested on her new outfit, that showed so much more of her skin than before, especially where the necklace rested. "NWA-!"

Sentomaru glowered from the sidelines. "Roronoa! 'Black Foot'! I knew you two were alive. PX-7!"

Just as Sanji was about to lose control and shoot out a devastating nosebleed, a Pacfista came rushing at him and Zoro, blocking his view from Luffy and Nana. The Pacifista's mouth opened and he started to power up a beam.

"Get..." Sanji and Zoro both snarled, "Outta my way!"

The Pacifista broke in half from the swordsman's cut through the belly just as his neck snapped from the cook's kick. It exploded, leaving a cloud of smoke that blocked them partially from everyone else's view.

"Sanji!" Nana shouted as she came flying over with Luffy.

"Yes! Come to me!" Sanji cried victoriously as he spread his arms wide to her.

Nana hurriedly swept over him, grabbing him by the collar and having him dangle beneath her like an eagle catching her prey. "Not now. We waited two years to see each other. What's another twenty minutes?!" she barked as she flew away from the crowd, "We need to get on the ship and get the hell out of this shit show!"

"Yes, Nwanwa…" Sanji whimpered as blood shot out of his nose just by the mere scent of her.

"Ah, don't bleed on me, Mr. 8!" Zoro snapped from below. He veered towards his right to avoid the blood spray.

Sanji instantly snapped to attention. "Will you just drop it with the order of arrival?!"

Nana laughed just as Luffy skidded to a stop below. The Straw Hats all stopped, with Nana and Sanji still in midair, and turned to see what their captain was looking at.

Luffy took a deep breath. "RAYLEIGH!" he shouted.

The 'Dark King' smiled back from the top of a tree ridge. "I came here to check on you, but you seem alright. Your power sure has improved."

Luffy nodded.

"Now go to your friends," Rayleigh grinned.

"Rayleigh! Thank you for everything these past years!" Luffy exclaimed.

"You're out of character," Rayleigh said, "Now go!"

Luffy dropped his backpack and raised his arms high in the air. "Rayleigh! I'm going to be the King of Pirates!" he screamed with confidence.


	59. Cool Down

Nana was at a complete loss for words. She had no idea what happened to Sanji in the past two years but he had changed and not just in physical appearance.

His hair was now swept to the other side. He grew out a goatee and his suit seemed much more delicate and expensive than his original one, if that was even possible. His changes in appearance were good. However, his behaviour around women was very disturbing to Nana.

He was bleeding non-stop from his nose ever since they got back on the ship. Actually, it was before they even got on the ship. He was bleeding as soon as Chopper came to pick them up on a big bird. Since it was a free ride, Nana had stowed her wings back in the bag and sat with the rest of them. She sat closest to Sanji and gave him big kiss, which in turn gave him a nosebleed. Nana expected that much to happen as it had been two years but after two minutes, Nana became alarmed as it didn't seem to be stopping or showed any signs of dying down.

The bleeding got even stronger when they approached the ship and he saw Nami and Robin smiling at them from the deck. Sanji had rocketed off of the bird and fell into the sea below. Usopp had to jump overboard to get him and even when they dragged him back onboard, he was still bleeding.

"What is going on?" Nana asked as she knelt next to a dangerously pale Sanji with Usopp by her side, "What happened to you?"

"Stay with me!" Usopp shouted as tried to shake some sense into the cook.

Nana heard the distant sounds of cannon fire and she quickly got to her feet. She ran over towards the railings.

"Navy ships are coming," she warned to her crew. Her wings unfolded and she flew up in the air to bat the incoming cannonball out of the way.

"WHOAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Usopp, Chopper, and Franky cheered.

"Ow! Nana-brat, is that's been in that backpack this whole time?" Franky demanded, "Why didn't you super tell me?"

"Not now, Franky! We can do a show and tell after we're out of here! Get the ship ready," Nana ordered as she got her metal gloves ready, "I'll make sure none of the cannonballs hit us."

"Wait! Look!" Usopp cried. He pointed forward. Nana looked ahead and her eyes widened.

"Hancock?" she gasped as she watched the Kuja Pirates pull in in front of the Navy ships, blocking the marines' view of the Straw Hats, "I should've known she'd show up."

"That's...the Kuja logo," Robin mused, "Nana, do you know Boa Hancock, the Warlord?"

"Warlord?!" Usopp and Brook screeched.

Robin nodded, "It's said that anyone who sees her will be attracted by her beauty and will turn to stone in the end."

Brook grabbed a telescope from Usopp's hands and gasped as soon as he saw the Warlord. He dropped the telescope, with Usopp swooping in at the last second before it fell into the water. "Oh! Too bright! She is dazzling!" Brook swooned.

Usopp fitted the telescope to his eyes. "Wow! She must be a goddess!"

"Goddess?!" Sanji shrieked as he ran over to the group, "Where? Where?!"

He brought the telescope to his face and almost immediately turned to stone.

Nana rolled her eyes. "Better than bleeding, I guess," she muttered and she called over her shoulder to Luffy. "Oy! Hancock's here with the others. I doubt it's because of me."

"Ohhh," Luffy said as he walked over.

Nana could see in the distance a shock of green hair and another person with orange hair. "Marigold and Sandersonia are with them too," she said with a friendlier expression on her face.

Pygmy stood up and placed his front paws over the railing. He sniffed the air and started to bark loudly over to the ship. The three Gorgon Sisters turned towards them. Hancock winked back at Luffy while her two sisters gave a short wave to Nana. Nana grinned and waved back with both her arms.

"Do...you two know the Warlord?!" Nami asked.

Luffy nodded, "I was sent to the Maiden Island and I became friends with them."

"And I stayed with them these past two years," Nana said with a smile.

"Friends...with the pirate empress?! On Maiden Island with Nana?!" Sanji exclaimed as he grabbed Luffy by the collar, "Oy! You bastard! Were you even training seriously?!"

"That explains your change in clothes," Robin observed as her eyes fell over Nana's new outfit.

Nana sighed, clearly not too thrilled with the update. "Yeah, they took most of my clothes when I was bathing and burned them. Fortunately, they let me keep my leather corset otherwise I would've died testing out my metal gloves. It's also a slight miracle the beeswax coating on the corset lasted that long."

"Beeswax?" Usopp asked and then he pointed an accusing finger up near Robin's garden, "Wait. Are you the one who brought all those bees?!"

Nana nodded as she landed back down on the deck. Her wings retrieved into her bag. "Yeah, don't touch them. I need them for the wax."

Usopp held up a bandaged finger, "I got stung, Nana! I was trying to plant my pop greens and those bees tried to attack me!"

"Oh," Nana grinned, "Just stick your finger in seawater and the sting will go away. I learned that when Kuma sent me to Wahino."

Robin put her hand to her chin and looked between the sniper and mechanic. "Pop Green? Wahino? It seems we all have been through a lot these past two years."

Nana laughed and then hugged Robin by the waist. "But I'm so glad that's over. It's so good seeing you, Robin! I missed you."

Robin smiled and wrapped her arms around Nana. "I missed you too, Nana."

"Ow! Nana-brat, super not the time," Franky called as he leapt onto the railing, "We need to get going. I'm going to get the coating ready. Go spread the sail!"

Nana grinned and climbed up the gaff to unfurl the sails with Brook. "Oh! Nana-san, may I see your-"

She didn't even let him finish the sentence and she raised one hand in the air. "Repel!"

Three cannonballs barely made it out of the cannons of a Navy ship before they were thrown back, hitting the ship and it started to sink. Brook looked over at the damage. "Your reflexes have gotten faster, Nana-san."

Nana grinned. "I see your eyesight is still very good...despite having no eyes."

"Yohohoho," Brook laughed as the finished untying the ropes on his end, "Very good, Nana-san."

"Nami! We're all set," Nana called down just as Franky climbed back on board.

Nami nodded and walked over to Luffy, who was standing right below the mast. He crossed his arms over his chest and he grinned. "You guys!" their captain shouted, "I've got a lot of things that I want to share with you, but in any case, thank you for going along with my selfish decision for the last two years."

Nana laughed as she and Brook jumped back down onto the deck. The coating around them began to rise until the whole ship was encased in a giant bubble.

Luffy held up his fists. "SET SAIL!" he commanded as they began to submerge, "Let's go to Fishman Island!"

* * *

The water soon surrounded the ship and they sank lower and lower from the surface. The sun shine down through the surface and the lights swayed and danced across the deck.

"What a view," Franky breathed, "Submarines can't have windows this wide."

In the corner of his eye, he caught something that he never thought he'd see. Nana, the loudmouth, hammer wielding brat from Galley-La, was sitting cross legged on the deck and meditating with her eyes closed and her mouth shut. Her backpack and hammer laid by her feet.

"Ow! Nana-brat. What are you-?"

"Shhh, Franky," Nana hissed without opening her eyes, "If you don't want me to freak out while we're underwater, just let me do this."

Zoro raised an eyebrow. "Since when do you meditate, Nana?"

"Shut up!" Nana huffed, "Just no one talk to me."

* * *

_\- Flashback, 1 year earlier -_

Marigold placed her hands on her hips and stared sternly down at Nana, who was disheveled and wiping blood off of her chin. "Do you know why you lost to me again?"

"Because you're allowed to use your Devil Fruit powers yet I can't use my own weapons?" Nana replied.

Marigold shook her head. "Because you lose your cool way too easily. You let your emotions take control of you all the time, especially during a fight."

"I fight on instinct," Nana said defensively.

"That's not good," Sandersonia sighed, "You get easily distracted, Nana. You have to concentrate otherwise your Haki won't work. That's why Marigold can beat you time and time again. That's why I could beat you last week when Hancock was here. You lost your focus when she was irritating you about Luffy!"

"Well, Hancock is a naturally annoying person and Marigold is a naturally calm person," Nana said exasperatedly.

"Actually, Marigold used to have a temper too," Sandersonia replied, "Almost as bad as Hancock."

Nana raised an eyebrow at the stoic, orange haired snake. "Really?"

Marigold nodded. "And then I learned to control it by focusing my energy inward and blocking out what was going on around me and my opponent."

"Easier said than done," Nana scoffed.

"Haven't you ever zoned out? Not pay attention to something that was going around you?" Sandersonia asked.

Nana paused and she thought carefully about Sandersonia's question. "Well...there was that one time at the Auction House...I was so busy trying to free Camie from her collar that I didn't even hear Robin introduce the other two pirate crews."

"Great. Now apply it to a fight," Marigold said with a nod.

"Again, easier said than done!" Nana shot back, "Camie's life was at stake that time. All of ours were. I had no choice but to concentrate."

"Then you should fight every fight that way," Marigold replied, "Or have you not been taking our training seriously?"

Nana's mouth snapped shut and she blinked back at the two snake sisters. Sandersonia nodded fervently in support of what her sibling had just said. "Remember why you're training, Nana. It's not just to make yourself stronger. It's to protect Luffy and your nakama."

Nana gulped and she took a deep breath. "You're right…"

"Okay. Then from now on, everyday, you will meditate for at least 5 minutes," Marigold decreed, "Starting now."

"What? Why? Meditate? I thought we were going to fight," Nana demanded.

"You need to train your mind just like you train your Haki," Sandersonia explained, "The more often you learn to calm your emotions, the faster you'd be able to do it in battle. So sit down, close your eyes, and try to center yourself."

Nana raised an eyebrow but she begrudgingly sat down on the ground. She crossed her legs and mockingly placed her hands on top of her knees with her fingers in the lotus position. "Are you guys going to chant around me while I do this?" Nana scoffed.

"No," Marigold said as she whacked Nana on the head, "I'm going to attack you."

"OW! What?!" Nana cried as her eyes flew open and a lump formed on her head.

"Concentrate," Sandersonia insisted, "And you'll be able to center yourself and harness your Haki at the same time."

"This is cruel and unusual punishment," Nana muttered.

"Welcome to Amazon Lily," Marigold replied.

* * *

"We're sinking and sinking," Chopper shrieked, "I can't help but feel anxious."

"C-c-can we really return to the surface safely?" Usopp gulped.

"So cool!" Luffy cheered.

"Yohohoho, Nana-san, instead of focusing on the water, look at the trees!" Brook laughed. He turned to the mechanic and was surprised to see she had not budged at all with all the racket the crew was making.

Nana was lost in her own little world. Every noise she heard seemed like it was coming from another room and she ignored it all. She focused on her breath and her heart beat. It was as if her own will was controlling every fiber of her being and making sure not even an ounce of fear could infiltrate.

Without warning, she felt two arms wrap around her shoulders and she leaned into the embrace when she smelled the faint traces of tobacco. Not bothered that her meditation session had just been interrupted but only because of who was responsible for the interference.

"Are you scared, Nana?" Sanji murmured as he situated his legs so that she sat in between them with her back against his chest.

"I'll be okay," Nana said. She turned to look up at him and then laughed when she saw two tissues stuffed up his nose to stop the bleeding. "Are you alright, Prince Charming? Are you sure this isn't too intense for you?"

"Nothing is too intense for me when a lady is in need," he said tersely as he willed himself to stay sane, "Especially when it's you who-"

He glanced down, which was a fatal mistake. His eyes caught Nana's and her face was just too close to his own for him not to notice the smell of a real woman even through the tissues.

_Pfffffffffft!_

The nosebleed that came out of him was so intense that it launched him high above the ship, past the sails, and he pushed hard against the bubble.

"AHHHHH! Sanji!" Chopper cried.

"It's going to pop!" Luffy screamed.

"How can you fly that far with a nosebleed?!" Usopp shouted incredulously.

"Oh my…" Nana said as she looked down at her own shirt, marveling at the fact that he managed to turn his head at the last second so not to get any blood on her, "His chivalry is still in tact, it seems."

_Pop!_

Sanji burst through the bubble and into the sea water.

Robin tapped a chin to her finger. "How wonderful. The bubble doesn't break even under tremendous pressure in this deep water, but things can pass through it like that."

Franky, who was standing next to the historian, raised an eyebrow at her. "It's disconcerting how super calm you can stay during a moment like this," he commented.

"Sanji!" Luffy shouted as he stretched out his arm through the bubble to grab the cook back, "I feel weak in the water…"

Usopp and Nana both went to their captain's side and helped him reel back the blonde. When he was back on the deck, Chopper sprang into action. He hooked the cook up to bags and bags of blood while performing CPR.

Zoro's good eye looked incredulously at the copious amounts of IV bags that were feeding blood back into the cook. "This is a tad excessive, don't you think?"

"Oy! What happened to you, Sanji?" Usopp demanded as Chopper pushed more and more water out of Sanji's chest, "You've become more susceptible to women."

"Hang in there, Sanji!" Chopper shouted. He looked over at Nana. "I think...just to be safe, you two need to stay away from each other for awhile."

"At this rate, he's going to bleed to death once he meets the mermaids," Brook worried, "And he was so looking forward to it too."

"And I was going to build a bed down in your room for the two of you," Franky commented as he looked over at Nana, "But that'll turn into his deathbed at this rate."

Nana eyed the blood transfusion. "Do we have enough blood if he goes into another episode, Chopper?"

Chopper shook his head. "We'll need to ask for donations when we get to Fishman Island. I wonder if Fishman and humans share the same blood. Sanji has a pretty rare blood type."

"So he's not the same as me, Franky, and Zoro?" Nana asked, remembering how Chopper had asked for their blood at Thriller Bark to save the swordsman.

Chopper shook his head.

"Well, the bubbles are the same on Sabaody and the Fishman Island so the blood should be the same there too," Robin stated, "I wonder who will do the coating when we get there."

"Ow! Can you super not talk about the coating right now?" Franky demanded.

"I'm just so in awe that it hasn't broken," Robin said with a smile.

"When...would it break?" Usopp asked as he looked over at Nami, who had the instructions given by Rayleigh.

"When there's too many holes in the bubble. Like if a Sea King bites into us or part of our ship breaks and punctures the bubble too much," Nami explained.

"So the ship is going to be stable for now? Don't we have to do anything?: Franky asked.

Nami shook her head, "Nothing to do at the moment. We need to let the ship keep sinking for awhile. We have some time."

Franky set his sunglasses on the top of his shaved head and he looked over at Nana. "Then, since we have the time, there's something that I have to tell you guys about...About what the brat and I found when we got to the Sunny."

Nana frowned. She knew what he was about to say and she would've mentioned it to them herself but it had slipped her mind entirely.

"The Navy found the Sunny a year ago," Franky replied, "And Hachi and Duvall had been protecting it but they both got severely injured a few months into it."

"Then how did the Sunny remain undamaged after that?" Usopp asked.

"There was another man who took over protecting it," Franky explained.

Nana sighed. "We saw him...when Franky and I first came to see the Sunny together. It was Kuma."

"KUMA?!" the Straw Hats exclaimed. Sanji twitched and he tried to sit up but Chopper hurriedly held him down.

Franky nodded, "The same guy who separated us two years ago...I couldn't believe my eyes at first but it really was him. Rayleigh told us later that he was working for the Revolutionary Army and that's why he intervened two years ago. He was saving our lives."

"Nana," Sanji rasped as he tried to struggle against Chopper's hold.  _Shit. I need to tell her about her father._

"I don't know what made him obey the Navy but he agreed to be a guinea pig and let his body slowly become a cyborg piece by piece. He somehow lost his personality and memories before the War of the Best," Franky continued, "He made Dr. Vegapunk program a mission in his mind so that it would stay with him even after he lost himself. His mission was to defend the Straw Hat's ship until one of them returns to it."

"That's insane. Why would he do that for us?" Zoro asked.

"Well, since he's working for the Revolutionary Army," Usopp replied, "The only connection we have to it is Luffy's father. Right?"

"But I don't even know my father that well," Luffy said as he pulled out a hunk of meat from his backpack, "Maybe there's another connection."

Nana stiffened. She struggled whether to tell her nakama about Shakky's theory. She looked up and caught Robin staring contemplatively at her. Nana was taken aback.  _Does Robin know something?_

"I hope we can figure out his motives one day," Zoro said gruffly, "But it seems even if we ask him now, he wouldn't be able to tell us."

"Guys...there's something else...about the Revolutionary Army…" Nana started to say.

"Hey, guys! There is a ship kind of thing coming from behind us!" Usopp interrupted from the stern of the ship.

"A ship?!" Nana, Zoro, and Luffy leapt to their feet and crowded around the sniper just as the ship pulled up to their side and slammed into the Sunny. Sanji pulled the IV drips out of his arm and sprang to his feet.

"Ahhh! They're trying to pop our ship!" Usopp screeched, "Nana! Can you repel them or something?!"

Nana shook her head. "I don't know if the magnetic energy would accidentally pop our ship in the process!"

"Ow! Nana-brat, I think that must be the first time you've ever shown some restraint," Franky whistled, "But first things first. We gotta move the ship! Hard to port!"

Sanji ran to the wheel and steered it. "Yosh!"

"What do they want from us?!" Luffy demanded as the ship slammed into them again. Their coatings touched and soon their bubbles combined into one.

"Mooooooo!"

The Straw Hats' attention shifted to the large beast that was pulling the invading ship. "Is that...a...Sea Cow?" Nana asked, "Is that a thing?"

"Sea Cow?!" Nami gasped as she ran for a closer look, "Moomoo! Is that you?! Moomoo from the Arlong Pirates?"

"You know this cow?!" Nana asked incredulously.

"Do you remember me? I'm Nami!" Nami shouted.

"Oh, he looks familiar. Right, Luffy?" Sanji called over to the captain. The Sea Cow's gaze fell on the two men and a look of sheer panic crossed his face.

"Let's board the ship!" the leader of the invading pirates shouted.

Nana's eyes widened as she recognized the voice. She had heard it back on Sabaody. "He's the man who killed the marine without any reason," Nana murmured as she grabbed her hammer.

The man emerged through the bubble and he stepped over the railing onto the Thousand Sunny.

"Ah! He's coming!" Chopper screeched.

"Looks like we're going to have to fight," Franky said.

"Kill them all!" the man demanded as he jumped onto the deck. At the last second, the Sea Cow swam frantically back to the surface, towing the man's crew away from him. The man continued to walk confidently towards the Straw Hats, unaware of this abandonment.

"Alright," he said with a lick of his lips, "By way of greeting, fire the gatling gun! Kill all the Straw Hats and…"

He raised his arms and waited for the sound of gunfire. He was met with silence. He peeked over his shoulder and his eyes bugged out when he realized he was on a one man mission that was set for failure.

Nana lowered her hammer and set it back on her shoulder as Franky coolly walked towards the invader. He gripped him with one of his giant hands and brought him to the side of the ship.

"Noooo Don't throw me in the water!" the invader begged, "That's something you shouldn't do! You have to value people's lives. The gods are watching over you!"

Franky kept a poker face while he slammed his captive hard onto the ground. "Don't be inconsistent," Franky scolded, "Weren't you going to fire a gatling gun and kill us all?"

"No...that was just...a play on words," the invader said sheepishly.

Nana, Sanji, and Zoro walked over to join Franky and they all glared down at the man.

"That wasn't playing," Sanji said.

"Who are you? You must be the captain of a ship," Zoro surmised.

Their captive's eyes widened and he quickly knelt before the Straw Hats. "No way," he denied, "I'm not a captain. I'm just..I was forced to be a slave for them. I don't want to be on that ship anymore. Please let me stay on this ship."

"Oh no, that's terrible," Chopper breathed.

"Don't believe him, Chopper," Nana said as she clenched her fist and held it up, "He's making it up. He's a pirate. Not a slave. He was at the recruitment back on Sabaody. He killed a defenseless marine for no good reason."

The man gaped at her. "H-H-H-How did you know that? You weren't even there at that point."

Nana slammed her fist right in between his eyes, "I'm not the one who needs to explain myself right now."

"You bitch! You broke my nose!," he squealed. Internally, the man regretted not using his Swamp Swamp fruit power but he didn't want his powers to be known by the crew just yet.

"Watch what you're saying to a lady," Sanji said as he gave a harsh kick across the man's face.

"Gahhhh," the man gasped as he skidded to the side.

"Everyone, it's going to get colder as we get deeper," Nami interrupted, "Better put on a jacket."

"You guys keep an eye on him," Nana replied as she headed for her room, "I'll go get a thicker jacket. Zoro, tie him up."

"Don't order me around, Nana," Zoro said but did so anyways.

The Straw Hats shared a look as the mechanic closed the latch behind her. "Is it just me or is Nana more cautious now?" Usopp asked.

Robin folded her arms across her chest and she smiled. "She's grown up."


	60. Separated Again

Nana emerged from her room wearing a dark blue pea coat. Her helmet and goggles were now back on her head.

She looked around at the seawater surrounding them. It had gotten considerably darker and it sent chills down her spine. She stuffed her hands in her coat pockets and clenched them tightly. She was terrified but she wasn't going to let it show. After two years of training, she was determined to prove to her crew just how much she's grown.

Franky was at the helm while Robin sat the stern of the ship, reading a book. For some odd reason, Luffy, Zoro, Usopp, and Chopper were calmly drinking tea while looking out over the railings.

"You guys look awfully tranquil," Nana quipped as she walked over to them.

"We're admiring the wonderful currents," Usopp explained with a contented sigh.

"They're magical," Chopper agreed.

Nana looked over at Nami, who was standing nearby with Brook. "Translation?"

Nami shook her head defeatedly, "I tried to explain to them how we had to ride the current on a downward flow to get to the deep sea but those idiots didn't understand a word of what I was saying."

Nana chuckled and forced herself to look out into the ocean.  _I can't let my fear get the best of me. I won't._

The current started to grow stronger around them and Nana could see several schools of fish being pushed back from the force. She could also hear the sounds of rushing water pass by their coating. She flinched slightly and took a calming breath.

"Nami! I see it!" Robin shouted out from the stern.

"Really?" Nami exclaimed as the rest of the Straw Hats ran up the steps to join their historian, "There it is! The Downward Plume!"

"The what?!" Nana cried.

"Just come over and look," Nami replied and Nana cautiously stood next to the navigator to have a look.

It was a gigantic underwater waterfall and the Sunny was heading straight for it. Rushing water fell in front of them to the depths of the sea like a large curtain of watery force. Nana gaped at the sight and instinctively took a step back, bumping into Franky in the process. He put one of his pink metallic hands on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Nana-brat. We'll be fine. Sunny is the strongest ship built from the treasure tree Adam, after all. You and I both know exactly what this ship is capable of."

Nana inhaled slowly and let his words comfort her. She felt something brush up against her leg and she looked down to see Pygmy, whining up at her and wagging his tail tentatively. "I'm okay," she said and patted his head.

She took a deep breath and glanced over at Sanji, who was holding himself up by the IV stand. He had a string of photos slung over his shoulder and they were all photos of Nami, Robin, and herself at different angles.

"Did he have another episode?" Nana asked Franky, "And what is going on with those photos?"

"Ah," Franky said with a shrug, "When Nami was trying to explain the currents to us, he looked directly at her and...well you know...and those photos are Chopper's attempt at rehabilitation for him."

Nana crossed her arms over her chest and frowned. "What the hell do you think happened to him?"

"I don't know but he's acting like this is the first time he's ever seen women," Franky replied, "Maybe he hasn't seen one in the last two years."

"Maybe…" Nana murmured.

"Straw Hats! You all should turn back now! It's dangerous!" a sharp voice interrupted. They all turned back to the lawn deck to see Caribou, with his arms tied to his side.

"Oh yeah...I forgot about him," Nana said.

"There is a monster down there!" Caribo warned.

"WHAT?!" Chopper shrieked.

"Are you just trying to scare us?" Zoro demanded.

There was a sound of bubbling at the front of the ship and they all turned to see what was going on. A heavy stream of air bubbles came up, followed by a couple of dead, bloated corpses, and then slowly a large, orange octopus like Sea King appeared in front of them.

"K-K-Kraken!" Usopp screamed.

Nana's eyes fell on his many tentacles. Each were as thick as a serpentine Sea King. Many of them were gripping broken ships.

"It looks like thips that set out for the New World has become its prey," Franky said, coming to the same conclusion as Nana.

"Please! I don't wanna die! Go back!" Caribou screamed.

"Shut up! I have a good idea!," Luffy grinned as he turned to his crew, "Let's tame him and have him pull our ship. Like what that Sea Cow did."

"No way!" Usopp and Chopper cried, "It's huge!"

Nana sighed and put her hands on her hips. "Whatever you plan on doing, Luffy, just don't damage the coating on the ship."

"Oooh! Robin, that's a pretty good sketch," Franky mused as he saw that the archaeologist was busy capturing the likeness of the Kraken on her sketchpad, "So much better than the brat."

"You can't see this thing everyday so…" Robin mused.

"Oy, why you gotta drag my drawing skills into it?" Nana huffed.

"S-S-Sketching?! How can you guys be so relaxed?!" Chopper hissed at the tree.

"Mooooo!"

Nana hurriedly reached into her pouch and pulled out her telescope. "They're heading back to us! Cabou's ship and that Sea Cow. They're coming back!' she reported.

"Guys! You came back for me?!" Caribou shouted in grateful tears.

Without warning the Kraken wrapped a tentacle around Caribou's ship and easily snapped it in half, breaking the coating in the process as well. The Straw Hats' eyes widened as a look of sheer horror passed Caribou's face.

"That ship was even bigger than Sunny!" Chopper shrieked.

"At least it was broken at this level. If we were deeper, the water pressure would've instantly crushed all their bodies," Robin mused.

"H-H-H-How morbid!" Usopp gasped.

"They look like jellyfish," Zoro observed as he watched them float up to the surface.

"Shut up, you guys! Cut it out! I'm trying to mourn!" Coribou snapped.

The Kraken launched itself towards the Sunny and began to raise its many tentacles.

"It's coming!" Nami cried.

"Third Gear," Luffy called as Zoro unsheathed his swords.

"Stop it!" Usopp and Nana rushed forward and pulled both the rubber man and swordsman back. "You're going to pop the coating!"

"How else am I supposed to fight it?" Luffy demanded.

"I don't know," Nana snapped, "But it can't be from inside the bubble."

"That would be impossible!" Luffy huffed.

"Not...necessarily…"

They all turned to stare at Caribou, who was sweating all over with anxiety. "If you all really insist on fighting, there is a way."

Nana stewed on the steps of the Thousand Sunny as she watched Zoro, Luffy, and Sanji adjust to being inside the Flutter Kick Coating. It was a bubble used from the extra resin supplied by Rayleigh that allowed the three to be in their own individual diving suit. According to Caribou, that was a standard tool. Nana couldn't go because just thinking about being in the water made her stomach tighten and her skin sweat.

But on the other hand, some part of her really wanted to go. She needed a distraction from all of this. Even without the Downward Plume and the Kraken, being so deep in the sea was scary as hell and they still had 4000 more meters to go at least. Just staying on the Sunny was just a constant reminder to her that she was in the mercy of the sea. The only thing between her and her worst fear was a layer of resin that only had a 30% chance of actually sustaining until they reach their destination.

Needless to say, Nana was a mess inside but outside she tried to put on as much of a calm demeanor as possible. She reached for the pendant and she held it tightly for comfort. She couldn't help but realize that she had used the pendant as a symbol of her nakama and now that she was with them, she was still relying on the pendant itself for support. The person, who was supposed to bring her the most comfort, couldn't even be around her for too long.

"Don't worry, Nana!" Sanji stated confidently as he began to turn towards her, "I'll-"

"No! Sanji! Don't even look her way until you're fully healed! Your exposure therapy isn't over yet!" Chopper cried as he hurriedly leapt into the air and wrapped his arms around Nana's face.

Nana could do nothing but gave a thumbs up sign while Chopper clung to her head. Finally, after a few minutes, Chopper let go and she sat quietly as Zoro, Sanji, and Luffy exited the ship. They ran towards the Kraken, foregoing the safety rope that Nami had insisted they take so that they wouldn't get separated from the ship.

"Are they going to be okay?" Chopper asked.

"They should be fine. I mean, they are-" Usopp started to say before a long Kraken tentacle shot up right in front of his face, in an attempt to grab and crush the Sunny, "AHHHHH! It's attacking us!"

"Franky!" Franky shouted, "Rocket Launcher!" Three missiles came out of his shoulder and they shot forward at the Kraken's tentacles, blowing it back and away from the ship.

"Ooooh!" Usopp, Chopper, and Nana couldn't help but marvel.

Another tentacle started to reach towards them.

Nana reached into her pouch and brought out three marbles. "Nana Special," she said as she flicked all three forward with her magnetic glove, "Compact Cannon."

The three shot out of the bubble and exploded around the tentacle, knocking it away.

"Are those..MINI cannonballs?!" Usopp shouted with admiration.

Nana didn't have time to respond though as a new tentacle took it's place and swung towards the ship.

"Guard Point!" Chopper shouted and he expanded into a furball the size of a mansion. The fluffy yet sturdy texture blocked the tentacle from doing any damage.

"Whoah, so fluffy," Nana murmured.

"Well done!" Nami cheered.

_Thwack!_

The Thousand Sunny was smacked to the side by another tentacle and they spun towards a large underwater mountain. "We're going to crash!" Usopp shrieked.

"Mille Fleurs!" Robin shouted, "Gigantesco Mano!"

A thousand hands emerged from the side of the Sunny and htey formed together to create a pair of giant hands. It pushed the Sunny away from the mountain and out of harm's way.

"Yes! Nico Robin! Good work!" Franky exclaimed.

"My turn!" Luffy screamed from the depths of the sea, "Third Gear!"

He blew hard into his thumb while stretching his other arm out of the bubble. His fist grew into an enormous size and he pushed the air pressure up into the arm that was extended in the water. The fist grew as big as the Sunny. "Armament Haki!"

Nana's eyes widened as his fist grew black and then she smiled.  _Rayleigh...Luffy did it…_

"Whoa! Sanji-san got out of the bubble," Brook shouted.

Nana's eyes flicked over to the blonde and saw that he was running through the water at an incredible speed.

"Diable Jambe!" Sanji shouted as his leg became inflamed, "Bien Cuit Grill Shot!"

He kicked the Kraken hard in the tentacle and the flame of his kick sizzled the monster's skin, giving it a nice sear mark.

"Three-Sword Style...Crossing the Six Paths," Zoro growled as he sliced up another tentacle in six even slabs.

"I didn't even see him move," Nana gasped at the swordsman, "He's gotten so fast."

"Oy! Zoro, Sanji! Don't hurt his arms!" Luffy demanded, "Gum Gum...Elephant Gun!"

He thrust his large, hardened fist at the Kraken and slammed it right in the Kraken's face. Blood spurted out of the Kraken's mouth and his eyes rolled to the back of his head. Something emerged from his body and it began to wriggle free into the sea.

"What...is that?" Nana asked.

"A shark?" Chopper asked as the thing freed itself and swam up towards Luffy, Sanji, and Zoro. It was a black shark with a white underbelly. What was odd about it was that it was wearing a red shirt with the words Crimin on it. The shark nodded towards the three Straw hats, in gratitude for saving him, and then swam off down the waterfall.

"Where have I seen that logo before?" Nana muttered as she tilted her head to the side.

"Not now, Nana-brat!" Franky warned as he pointed at the unconscious Kraken, who was starting to go down the current as well, "They're about to get drawn into the Plume!"

"Get back here, guys!" Nami shouted at the three men. They started to turn but then they got sucked into the current.

"Follow them!" Robin cried as Franky ran to the wheel, "We can't get separated again."

"Hang on!" Franky said.

They shot forward and down the current. The ship started to swirl and spin all around as the current drew them towards the depths of the sea. Nana gripped tightly onto the railing of the stairs with one arm while hooking Pygmy's neck with the other. She buried her face in his fur as they rode the watery rollercoaster.  _Make it stop. Please make it stop,_ Nana thought to no one in particular.

"Stay in the center of the current!" Nami ordered to Frank.

"Don't get thrown off!" Usopp shrieked.

It seemed like hours and hours of endless torture for Nana until the ship started to slow down until finally it was submerging at its normal pace. She lifted her head from Pygmy's fur and was surprised to find that it was almost completely dark. "How...far did we go?"

"My guess is we're at around 7,000 meters," Franky said, still behind the wheel.

Nana jumped up to her feet. "Luffy! Zoro! Sanji! Are they making their way back?"

Robin, who was leaning over the railing, straightened up and shook her head. "We can't see them and it seems we got separated. I hope the monster hasn't torn them into pieces."

"Your imagination is terrifying!" Usopp shrieked as he began to shiver, "It's so dark and cold here. Even if they have survived the current, their bubbles are too small and they're going to run out of air soon!"

"That's why I told them to grab onto a safety rope," Nami fumed as she grabbed her own hair out of frustration.

"Those idiots…" Nana grumbled as she walked towards the center of the deck.  _Sanji...you idiot…_

"Let's look for them. I now have a search light," Franky suggested. He placed his sunglasses back at the top of his shaved head.

"What good would those do?!" Nana demanded while Chopper and Usopp shrieked at the same time.

"Nana, wouldn't a light-" Nami started to ask but Nana gave her a look of helplessness.

"Not the type of search light you're picturing," Nana grumbled.

"Franky…" Franky called, "Nipple Lights!'

Two small yellow lights glowed from the cyborg's nipples as he stood with chest puffed towards the front of the ship.

"The hell is it there?!" Usopp seethed as he smacked Franky on the arm.

"Shut it off!" Nana cried indignantly, "The Sunny has it's own search lights. We don't need your weird ones."

The Straw Hats followed the light and their eyes widened when they realized the ship was surrounded by a school of Sea Kings. "Let's get out of here!" Franky exclaimed as they sped off.

"Shut off your damn light!" Nana yelled as she raced to the mast of the ship to flick on the search lights that lit up the eyes of the Lion Head. She adjusted the level so it was bright enough for them to see in front of them but dim enough so that it won't attract too much attention.

"Oy! Make it brighter, Nana-brat," Franky shouted.

"Shut up," Nana snapped, "The Sea Prism Stones might be able to get us by most of the Sea Kings but if they see us, we're dead!"

"Sea Prism Stones?" Nami asked.

Nana nodded. "While I was at Amazon Lily, the Kuja Pirates took a lot of weapons from marines and pirates alike. They managed to get their hands on a lot of Sea Prism Stones. Hancock let me have some of them. I lined the bottom of the Sunny with it in case we pass by any Sea Kings in the future."

Nami's eyes widened. "This means we can go through the Calm Belt!"

Nana grinned. "Yep. Just like what you heard from the Navy."

"Zoro! Sanji! Luffy!" Usopp shouted from the railing, "Where are you guys?!"

Nana turned towards the sniper just in time to see a school of humongous jellyfish float past them. They sparkled and floated around the ship like stars. "Whoa…" Nana breathed.

"That's beautiful," Chopper gasped as a jellyfish closest to them stuck his tentacle through the bubble towards the reindeer, "Do you want to be friends?"

"Don't touch it," Robin warned, "It's probably venomous."

Chopper immediately jumped back in fright. "Ahhh."

A huge fish the size of a galley ship came swimming towards them with his gaze glued to the jellyfish. "Shit and it drew attention to us," Nana growled, "We need to get out of here."

"Mini Coup de Burst!" Franky shouted as he let out a little air from the back of the ship and it shot them out of the fish's jaws right as it clamped down on the jellyfish.

The bubble coating around the Sunny began to diminish. "Ah! We lost some air," Brook observed.

"Better than being eaten," Franky replied, "The more air we shoot out the more the bubble shrinks."

"Then don't do it or else we'll suffocate!" Nana yelled.

"We have no other choice! The fish was about to eat us," Franky snapped.

The fish in question suddenly let go of the jellyfish and flipped belly up. "Just as I thought...the jellyfish was venomous," Robin mused.

"AHHHHH! This sea is scary!" Chopper shrieked, "Anything can kill us."

Nana gripped her arms tightly in fear. She knew the bubble had only shrank a little but she was already feeling a bit out of breath. She felt like the walls were closing in on her.  _3000 more meters to go...We've already passed the halfway point...Just 3000-_

"Where did that pirate guy go? Has anyone seen him?"

Brook's question made Nana stiffen and she turned to the skeleton, who was holding up a rope in his hands. It was the same rope Zoro had used to tie up Caribou.

"Oh yeah, he's still here. I totally forgot about him," Franky said.

"Maybe he got thrown off during the downward pull," Chopper guessed.

"But the rope is intact so he untied himself…" Brook said.

"He's got to be hiding somewhere," Usopp shrieked.

"Ugh," Nami moaned, "Another thing to worry about."

"No…" Nana said as she closed her eyes and focused, "Let me handle it."

Even though she couldn't sense or hear a lot outside in the water but she could at least gauge what was going on in the ship. She heard his soft chuckle and her eyes flew open. She looked in that direction and her eyes rested on the barrel right next to the main mast. The lid was slightly open and there was goop coming out from the edges. She groaned inwardly. She didn't have to even use her Haki. He was there in plain sight.  _This guy is an idiot._

Quick as a flash, she ran over to the barrel and pushed the lid down with one hand while holding up another hand up in the air. "Found him! Franky! Nails!"

"Here you go, Nana-brat!" Franky said as he threw a handful of nails in the air and they shot into Nana's magnetic glove.

_Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!_

She nailed the barrel shut and kicked it on its side. Ignoring the cries and pleas that were coming from inside. She rested her boot on top of it. "Oy!" she said with a hard kick to the barrel, making the captive yelp in surprise, "The jig is up. You're a Devil Fruit user, aren't you? Some type of Logia."

The barrel was silent and Nana sat on top of it. She rested her glove on top of the barrel. "If you're not going to talk, then let me. You're probably feeling very tired right now like the energy has been sucked out. You're probably thinking the barrel is made out of Sea Prism Stone or something but it's not. You see,  _I'm_ making you feel that way. I'm not going to tell you how or why...All you need to know is that there is no Sea Prism Stone around you so you are welcome to bust out of here any time you want. Just know that when you do, you'll have to come face to face with me."

The Straw Hats didn't think it was possible but the barrel started to sweat and Nana smirked as she got back up on her feet. She turned the dial in her glove off and kicked the barrel so that it rolled harshly back towards the mast.

"Nana, what did you do?" Usopp asked in a hush tone.

Nana smiled. "Remember Kizaru? The light guy back in Sabaody?"

Usopp nodded.

"I figured out a way to control the frequency of a Sea Prism Stone...and I found a way for it not to hurt me."

"So no side effects?" Usopp gasped.

"No side effects," Nana said and she pointed up at Robin's garden, "As long as you don't hurt my bees."


	61. Changes

Nana couldn't tell if she was out of breath because of the stifling heat from the sea volcanoes or because of the series of mini Coup De Bursts that they had to do to escape the different dangers that came their way. It had been almost thirty minutes and still no sign of Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji.

Everyone's winter jackets were off and they were all sweating, except for Pygmy, who was napping comfortably on top of the barrel that held Caribou.

A soft yellow glow casted over the ship and the Straw Hats on deck all looked towards the source. As the ship drew closer, they could only see a bright light up ahead.

"Is that Fishman Island?" Chopper asked excitedly, "Do you think Luffy and the others are there?'

Nami frowned. "We haven't submerged to 10,000 meters yet."

A series of clicks and flickering lights came from the cyborg and Nana looked over at her nakama. "Who...Are...You…?" Franky asked, flashing his nipples in Morse Code at the source.

"How the hell is that helping?!" Usopp seethed as he smacked Franky on the arm.

They got closer and closer until the light revealed a giant angler fish with terribly sharp teeth. He opened his jaws.

"Shit!" Nana cried as she ran over to the steering wheel and got the Sunny out of the way at the last second, "That was close."

"Can we get away if he chases after us, though?" Franky asked just as a dark shadow casted over them.

They looked up to see a man as large as a mountain. At least, Nana thought it looked like a man. It had rounded teeth, black hair, and an unruly black mustache. His face was round to match his rounded body.

"It's a Sea Bonze!" Usopp shrieked as the man raised his fist.

"He's going to kill us!" Chopper screamed.

_Thwack!_

The Straw Hats gaped as he landed a punch on the fish. "Hey! Ankoro, don't do that," he scolded at the fish with a childlike voice, "Don't eat ships! How many times do I have to tell you? Captain Vander Decken-sama won't like it."

"Did he just help us?" Nami breathed.

From behind the giant, a ship floated towards them through the shadows. Nana's blood ran cold when she could see the ship more clearly. It was an old ship with lots of holes in it and torn sails. It looked to be over two hundred years old at least. The words 'Flying Dutchman' was painted on what remained of its sails.

"G-G-G-Ghost…" Nana stuttered, "Ghost ship?!"

"Dead men tell no tales…" a spooky voice boomed from within the ship.

Nana grabbed for the nearest thing to stable herself, which happened to be Usopp's arm. It was a terrible choice as he offered no support or source of comfort himself. "We're going to die!" he shrieked.

"I am the richest person in the world...Captain Vander Decken!" the voice exclaimed.

"It's the infamous Flying Dutchman!" Brook shrieked, "The real ghost ship!"

"AHHHHHHHH!" Nana, Usopp, and Chopper yelled as Chopper leapt into Nana and Usopp's group hug for comfort.

"It shouldn't exist in the real world," Brook gasped, "Several hundred years ago, the captain of the Flying Dutchman lost his mind and killed his crew by throwing them into stormy waters one by one. He even cursed the gods...The name of the captain was Vander Decken! The gods got mad at him and set him adrift forever under constant torture! That hsip in front of us is a haunted ship!"

"Nooooo!" Chopper, Nana, and Usopp shrieked.

"Calm down, you guys," Franky huffed as he grabbed Nana by the shoulders and gripped her hard so that she could look at him, "We thought that Brook's ship was a ghost ship, but it wasn't. There has to be a reason behind this one. Get a grip, Nana-brat!"

"We just saw the Kraken, which was supposed to be a mythical monster, so it won't be surprising us for us to come across an actual ghost ship, wouldn't it?" Robin said with a smile.

Nana's legs gave out and she sank to the floor. Franky glared at the historian, "Robin! You can't entertain yourself by making them upset!"

Pygmy ran over to Nana and began to lick her face. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm not okay," she admitted softly so that only he could hear, "I'm so not okay. Pygmy...what the fuck do we do?"

She closed her eyes as both rage and fear overwhelmed her. She had tried her hardest to keep it all down but it was all too much. Being submerged underwater with ghost ships?! She was living one of her biggest nightmares with no means of escaping. She really did try to keep her fear under control but everyone had their breaking point. Nana knew she had just reached hers just short of 10,000 meters below the ocean's surface.

"Ankoro! Wadatsumi. We can't seize their treasure if you eat the ship so knock it down instead!" the voice of Captain Vander Decken ordered.

"EEEK! So the Sea Bonze is an enemy after all!" Usopp shrieked.

"Coup de Burst?!" Nami pleaded at Franky and he shook his head.

"Ow! We would need to refuel and I don't have time to get the cola to the energy room!"

"I DIDN'T TRAIN FOR TWO YEARS TO JUST DIE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA!" Nana roared with her head still buried in Pygmy's neck, "SO SOMEBODY FUCKING BETTER DO SOMETHING!"

_Thwack!_

Her head snapped up to see where the Sea Bonze had punched them and was shocked to find that the punch wasn't from him. It was from the Kraken instead.

"The Kraken?!" The Straw Hats gasped as the Kraken unleashed a series of punches at the Sea Bonze and angler fish.

"Oy! Guys!" Luffy's voice called out from the distance.

A bubble floated towards them with the rubber man, swordsman, and cook all crouched tightly within it. "Luffy! Zoro! Sanji!" Usopp cheered with relief.

Nana fell on her back, exhausted with relief. "Thank god," she breathed, "We're saved."

Franky leaned over her and frowned. "Ow! So besides that meditation thing, you didn't do anything about your fear of water during the last two years?"

"Hey! It's a miracle I lasted as long as I have," Nana snapped back as she got up to her feet. She smiled at her captain, who was in the middle of climbing on board.

"Shishishishi," Luffy laughed, "Sanji's bubble and mine popped so we all got into Zoro's."

"Nwanwa! Nami-swan! Robin-chwan! I'm back!" Sanji cheered and to no one's surprise, blood came out of his nose, when his eyes rested on Nana in just her corset and shorts, with sweat gleaming on her skin.

"Ah! He's relapsing!" Chopper shrieked as he threw Nana's duster at her. "Cover yourself, Nana!"

"It's friggin hot! Are you trying to melt me?!"

"Please!" Chopper begged, "Or else Sanji's not even going to make it to Fishman Island!"

Nana rolled her eyes and slipped on the coat, putting on her backpack and hammer as well. She directed her annoyance at Zoro. "Took your sweet time. Did you guys get lost or something?"

"Why are you asking  _me_  that?!" Zoro growled indignantly.

Nana shrugged and looked down at Luffy. "So did you tame the Kraken?"

"Yes! Draw the Sunny, Surume!" Luffy ordered. The Kraken gently placed a tentacle on each side of the Sunny and lifted it delicately over it's head.

"Wow, you actually did it…" Usopp breathed.

Explosions in the distance interrupted the Straw Hats' moment of awe. They looked behind them to see the sea turn red in the distant horizon.

"Oh no! The undersea volcano is gonna erupt!" Nami screamed.

"WHAT?!" the Straw Hats shouted.

"Luffy, tell the Kraken to get away from here now!" Nami ordered.

"There's no need!" Usopp shouted as the ship began to move rapidly forward, "Surume is already running for his life."

Magma shot out into the sea from the distant volcano and the water around them became boiling hot. The Kraken ran as fast as his many tentacles could carry him as his own survival was now called into question.

"What the hell are we going to do, Nami?" Nana demanded at the navigator.

Nami looked at the horizon with her telescope and she grimaced. "Jump down that trench up ahead, Surume!"

"WHAT?!" Usopp and Chopper shrieked. Usopp grabbed his own telescope and looked out.

"EEEEK!" he screamed, "That's an endless cliff. There is no bottom! All I see is darkness. Are you sure we'll survive this?"

"No," Nami said, "But it's the only chance we have."

"SHIIIIIT!" Nana cried as they reached the trench and the Kraken leapt in without hesitation.

As they dropped down, an avalanche of giant rocks came barreling down towards them. "If any one of those hits us, we're dead!" Chopper shouted.

"Leave it to me!" Usopp cried, as he grabbed his Kabuto, "Sure Kill: Green Star Sargasso!"

A small little green pellet flew into the sides of the trench and a sea plant popped out. It grew into enormous vines that caught the barrage of falling rocks.

"That's so great!" Luffy cheered.

"It's not like I was fooling around for the past two years," Usopp said with a smirk.

_Thwack!_

Out of the darkness, a large rock came sailing through Usopp's vines and hit the Kraken directly on the head, knocking it unconscious and causing it to drop the Thousand Sunny. Both the mythical monster and the ship made out of the Adam Tree plummeted to the bottom of the sea.

"Ahhhhhhh!" Usopp, Nana, Chopper, and Nami screamed as they toppled over each other.

They crash landed onto the soft part of the Kraken as a strong bright light beamed down on them like the sun. "We're...alive...we survived!" Usopp breathed.

"Light? This deep in the sea?" Robin asked as she pulled her orange sunglasses over her eyes to see better.

"Look guys! Over there!" Luffy shouted as he ran to the railing, "Over there! Fishman Island. Right Nami?"

The navigator stood up and looked at her log pose. "En...It's pointing directly at it. That has to be it."

Nana got up to her feet and she rubbed her aching head. She blinked furiously as her eyes adjusted to the bright light. Soon, her eyes focused on a large sphere in the distance. It was a giant bubble that encased an entire civilization with trees and it's own atmosphere. "It's...huge!" Nana breathed.

"There are clouds in there! Maybe there is air inside," Nami said.

"Yeah! We made it!" Luffy cheered.

"The mermaids...We've made it! The paradise that I've been dreaming of since I was a kid!" Sanji shouted.

Nana looked at him incredulously. "I thought the All Blue was your paradise."

Before he could answer, blood spurted out of his nose again and he collapsed to the floor.

Chopper rushed to his side as Usopp pulled Nana further away from the cook. "I'm sorry, Sanji," Chopper whimpered, "I guess the rehab didn't work. You shouldn't look at real Mermaids if you can't even look at Nana."

"Doctor! It was his dream to see Mermaids on the Fishman Island!" Usopp pleaded.

"Again, wasn't his dream to see the All Blue?!" Nana questioned exasperatedly.

"I don't care," Sanji rasped as he clutched the photographs tightly in his hands, "Rather than live longer without a dream...I wanna die staring at the Mermaids! I'm gonna look at the Mermaids!"

Nana threw her arms out in defeat and she walked over to Franky. "Oy. We should start measuring him for a coffin," she quipped to the cyborg.

"Are...you okay with all of this?" Franky asked as he remembered how the brat reacted when Sanji was around Camie.

Nana put her hands on her hips and she looked up at Franky. "We've all changed a little in the last two years. Besides, his fantasies about mermaids is not news to any of us."

"But are you okay?" Franky pressed softly but firmly.

Nana smiled a little too hard back at the cyborg. "Let's just hope that our stay on the island is short and soon this nosebleed thing will pass."

"Nana-brat," Franky said with concern as she walked past him and towards Robin. Then his eyes caught something in the distance. "Oy! What are they?!"

The Straw Hats all turned to look just as a group of sea monsters came towards the ship and surrounded the Sunny. They were enormous and of different species. One had a giraffe head while one had a gorilla head. It was an assortment of sea monsters and they all had someone riding on their backs.

"Why are you obeying such fools as humans, Kraken?" one of the riders called down.

Without warning, Surume dropped the Thousand Sunny and ran in the other direction.

"Where are you going?!" Luffy demanded, "Why are you scared of them?!"

"We're right in the middle of the sea monsters!" Usopp shrieked.

"You guys are the Straw Hats, aren't you?" the rider demanded.

"Who are you?" Luffy shot back.

"I know you well. You are the ones who foiled the plans of the Arlong Pirates," the rider continued, "That was was easy enough to understand. But then, two years ago you stood up for Hachi-san and knocked out one of the hateful Celestial Dragons. It's hard to decide what I should do with you. I'll give you an option. Do you wanna enlist under our banner, the New Fishman Pirate, or do you refuse? If you refuse, we'll sink your ship."

"Franky...Nana...refuel the ship," Nami hissed at the cyborg.

"What?" Franky gasped.

"There's no chance in hell Luffy will accept that offer and we can't even fight them in water so there's no chance of us winning either," Nami replied, "We need to use the last Coup De Burst to get into the island. That's our only chance."

"Understood," Nana said as she scrambled towards the engine room, "Franky, steer the ship. Usopp, go furl the sails."

Nana rolled three barrels of cola and fitted them into place. It started to churn and power up the engine. Nana called up to Franky with her transponder snail. "All set!"

"Here we go!" Franky said, "Coup De Burst!'

Nana felt the ground shake beneath her feet as she quickly ran back up to the deck. She made it to the lawn just as the bubble shrank around them like shrink wrap, pinning them all down to the floor. The air became so thin that Nana couldn't breathe.

"We're heading in!" Franky called.

They passed through the bubble which immediately took off the coating around them. Nana breathed in deeply and got to her feet. "Are we...flying through the air?!"

"Look ahead!" Brook shouted, "There's another coating!"

"It's a double bubble!" Robin cried, "Normal ships would just fall as soon as they passed through the first layer."

"Hold on tight!" Franky said as Nana gripped Pygmy tightly by the neck and held onto the ratline next to her.

"Shit! It's water up ahead!" Zoro growled as they burst through the second layer and was submerged into the water.

A powerful current whirled around the Straw Hats, forcing them to lose their grip on their ship. It was also too strong for them to swim. Needless to say, Nana was entirely helpless as salty sea water rushed down her nose and throat, burning her entire respiratory system, as she seemed to somersault through the water by the force. Her grip on Pygmy was broken as well and it wasn't long before her world turned black.

 _Shit! I can't swim with this current,_ Sanji thought as he tried to reach his hand over to Nana. He could see that Nana had already lost consciousness and he glanced around to Nami and Robin, who were both struggling. He kept his hand outstretched towards Nana but he was moving at a different speed as her due to the heaviness of all the metal strapped to her body. She seemed to grow further and further with every nanosecond,  _I can't lose her again. I have to...I have to…_

His air supply was diminishing and his eyes started to droop.  _God damn it. I need to just grab on. All I have to do is grab her. Just...let me…_ He couldn't even finish that thought as he passed out.

* * *

Sanji took a deep drag of his cigarette as Nana's head rested on his lap. He carefully ashed it in a can on the side table as not to burn her by mistake. By the grace of god, they had wound up at Camie-chan's place. Some mermaid friends had found him, Nana, Usopp, Chopper, and Luffy.

He was the first to awake, then Chopper, followed by Usopp. Only Luffy and Nana were still unconscious. Camie had given them a change of clothes and they were all wearing Crimin t-shirts while she dried their original clothing. Luffy was passed out on Camie's clam-shell shaped bed with Chopper and Usopp observing his condition while Nana laid out on the couch with Sanji.

"Sanji...I'm surprised you haven't had a nosebleed yet," Chopper marvelled at him while the blonde brushed his hand against Nana's cheek.

Sanji's lips pressed together. "Idiot. How can I even have those thoughts right now when Nana is in danger?" he said grimly as he reached over to hold her hand.  _Even after two years...I still couldn't get to her in time. I'm just lucky we didn't get separated again._

Nana's fingers tightened around his and he stiffened. He looked over at her face and saw her beautiful eyes looking back at him. "Hey," she croaked and then her eyes widened. Her voice sounded like she had swallowed razor blades. Her throat and nasal passage felt that way too.

"Ah! Nana's awake!" Chopper exclaimed as he bounded over to her, "How are you feeling?"

Nana sat up with one hand still firmly holding onto Sanji's while the other at her throat. She coughed violently as salty, warm water came flowing out of her mouth.

"Easy, Nana," Sanji said as he rubbed her back, "You probably swallowed the most water out of all of us."

"Where are we?" Nana wheezed and then winced at the painful scratching in her throat.

"Ah! Luffy! Luffy's awake too!" Usopp screamed from the bed.

The Straw Hats all turned to look at their captain, who had sat up on the bed. "Where am I?" he asked.

"Luffy-chin! Nana-chin! I'm so glad you're okay," Camie called over from the stove.

Luffy and Nana's eyes fell on the mermaid and the rubber man grinned. "Camie! It's been awhile! Does this mean we're on Fishman Island?!"

"Yeah! Luffy! We made it!" Chopper exclaimed.

"This is Camie-chan's house," Sanji explained.

"Where is everyone else?" Nana choked.

"Nana, it sounds like you inhaled too much salt water," Chopper said as he scurried over to her. He opened her mouth to peak inside, "Don't speak too much. Let your throat rest for a bit."

Nana nodded silently. She gestured to the room around her and then lifted her hand questioning to her shoulder.  _Where's everyone else?_

"We got separated," Usopp said defeatedly, understanding her charade.

"I hope they're all okay," Chopper added worryingly.

Luffy grinned. "I'm sure they'll be fine."

Camie smiled and carried a tray of bowls towards them. "I hope to see everyone soon. Here, I made some soup for you guys since you're probably freezing. It'll be good for Nana-chin's throat too."

"Ooh! That's very sweet of you, Camie-chan," Sanji said as Nana shifted her body so that she sat on the couch properly. She was about to pull her hand out from Sanji's in order to grab a bowl but was surprised to see that the cook was holding onto it very tightly.

His solemn and worried look gave Nana a bit of hope. He was beginning to look like the Sanji from 2 years ago again. She noticed the can of cigarette butts resting near his arm. It was practically overflowing. She scoffed and then bumped him on the chest with her fist.  _I'm fine._

"Are you sure?" Sanji asked.

Nana grinned and leaned over to kiss him on the cheek. Blood shot out of his nose before she could even make any contact and Nana quickly jumped away and onto her feet. She almost crashed into Camie in the process.  _So he hasn't come back to normal yet..._

"Ahhh! Sanji's relapsing again!" Chopper squealed.

"It seems Nana has to be either near death or unconscious for Sanji to be okay," Usopp observed.

"Are you trying to curse me?!" Nana croaked at the sniper, unable to contain her annoyance.

"Here, have some cold seaweed soup! You'll feel better," Camie insisted.

The Straw Hats turned to look at her. "Cold?" Usopp asked.

"AHHHHHH!" Camie screamed, realizing her mistake, "Cold soup is not going to warm you up or help Nana-chin's throat! What am I going to do?"

Nana let out a raspy laugh and then coughed from the sting.  _Good to know at least some people haven't changed..._

"Your clothes are dry!"

"They're dry!"

"No they aren't."

"Maybe they're dry."

"They're dry, so what?"

The Straw Hats turned to see five, small mermaids, each no bigger than Chopper's hat, holding a large sack of clothes and swimming towards them. They handed everyone their clothes, including Nana's leather corset.

 _Damn,_ Nana thought as she swiped a finger over the leather. The coating felt dangerously thin.  _Looks like I can't go all out if shit goes down._

"Is everything okay, Nana-chin?" Camie asked as Sanji looked at the mechanic curiously as well.

Nana forced a smile and gave a thumbs up sign.  _It's not the end of the world._

"These are my friends! The Medaka Mermaid Quintuplets," Camie introduced, "They're really small but they swim fast and are pretty savvy. This is the girl's dorm for the Mermaid Cafe, so I have a lot of friends here."

"G-G-Girl's dorm?!" Sanji shouted, "Mermaid Cafe?"

Nana rolled her eyes as she took her clothes and went into the bathroom to change. She didn't want to be part of this conversation.

"Mermaid Cafe is a cafe where I work as a waitress. There's many beautiful mermaids there," Camie explained just as Nana closed the door behind her.

"Beautiful...Mermaids?!" she heard Sanji roar.

"Endure it, Sanji!" Chopper and Usopp cried.

_Idiots. They're all idiots._

She changed back into her clothes and came out of the bathroom. She was surprised to see that there was no signs of a nosebleed from Sanji. "Wow, you held it in. Impressive," she rasped, realizing that as long as she kept her voice low and almost in a whisper, she wouldn't feel the pain.

"I can't risk passing out again," Sanji replied with determination, "I don't want to risk getting separated from you again and I want to see as many beautiful mermaids on this island as I can!"

"Amazing...he managed to sound romantic and creepy in one sentence," Usopp breathed.

"It's a talent only Sanji could pull off," Nana quipped under her breath.

"Let's go up so you can meet my friends!" Camie said, "Let me call the Sea Turtle Elevator!"

"Sea Turtle Elevator?" the Straw Hats asked.

It turned out that the Sea Turtle Elevator was exactly what it sounded like. A giant sea turtle came to Camie's door with a large bubble on its back that could comfortably seat them all. When they climbed aboard, the Sea Turtle started to swim up towards the surface of the water. To be safe, Nana sat on the front seat with Camie and Sanji sat in the far back with Usopp. Luffy and Chopper became the buffer in the middle. They wanted to give the blonde as much space as he could possibly get.

Nana looked out the bubble and she could see that they were at the bottom of a large apartment complex made out of coral. She pointed it out to Camie and tilted her head questioningly.

"The girls' dorm is at the very bottom so the rent is very cheap. The apartments at the top get natural light so it's more expensive," Camie explained.

"Are you poor?" Luffy asked bluntly, which earned him a kick in the head by Sanji.

Nana chuckled. "Where are Pappagu and Hachi?" she coughed out.

"Hachin got injured over a year ago so he's resting in the Fishman District. That's where he's originally from. It's a rough area but I can take you there since I feel safe with you guys. And Pappagu is a very famous designer so he had a big mansion in Fishverly Hills, the fashion district."

"If he has a mansion, why don't you live with him? He is your pet," Usopp asked.

Camie gave a sheepish smile. "That area is beyond my means. I can't afford to live there. Besides, the clams here are tastier. I'm delivering some to Pappagu today so you can come with me so you guys can see him!"

Nana's eyes caught Sanji's, who looked like he was close to have another episode. She frowned worryingly. Sanji clenched his jaw and nodded solemnly back. "Nana...it's really killing me that I can't even get close to you. I'm trying. I hope you know that."

All Nana could do was given a nod back but it wasn't because of her scratched up throat. She just didn't know if him trying would be enough.


	62. Trouble in Paradise

"Nana! Seriously, how can you be okay with all of this?" Usopp demanded as they sat on the edge of a coral reef and watched Sanji prance around with a bunch of beautiful mermaids at Mermaid Cove.

"This is it! This is my All Blue!" Sanji yelled victoriously as tears of joy streamed down his face.

Camie had introduced them to all her mermaid friends. They were very nice and welcoming. Almost too welcoming as they laughed and danced around the water with the cook. He had thrown off his shirt and was swimming delightfully with the aquatic maidens. Nana did notice that his muscles were now highly defined. It was comparable Zoro's except Sanji had a lean frame while Zoro was definitely not.  _At least I know you weren't just sitting around these last two years._

Nana shook her head with her feet submerged in the water. Her throat was feeling slightly better after not talking for about an hour. "Let him have his fun," she croaked at the sniper, "This is his paradise after all. Besides, if he can come this far without a nosebleed, that means he's getting closer to being cured, right?"

"Wow, Nana...That's a very mature way to look at it," Usopp said.

Nana grinned and then took her hammer, "Besides, if they try anything or if he does, I can always break his legs...or at least what's in between them."

Usopp, Chopper, and Luffy immediately winced and they looked over at their crew member.  _I feel like we should warn him…_  they all thought in unison.

"Hey, Camie," Luffy said to the mermaid, who was floating by his leg, "There is somebody that I really want to see at Fishman Island. Do you know where I can find Jimbei?"

"Boss Jimbei?" Camie asked.

 _Oh yeah,_ Nana thought and crossed her arms in front of her,  _He did say he was going to see us here before we parted ways._

"Jimbei...the former Warlord?!" Usopp sputtered.

"Yeah, he's my friend," Luffy said with a nod.

"What's up with you?! First the pirate empress and now him?" Usopp shrieked.

"He helped me out a lot two years ago," Luffy replied, "And he was there for me when Ace died."

"You two went through a lot together," Nana whispered with a heavy sigh. The image of the two of them on Law's operating table flashed through her mind before she forced it out, "When I saw you two at Marineford…and when I saw you on the operating table with all those tubes and monitors...you scared the shit out of me."

"Shishishishi," Luffy laughed and she looked up at her captain, "I just remembered. I never thanked you for coming to get me, did I?"

Nana scoffed and she punched Luffy lightly in the arm. "You're my captain. What's to thank?"

Usopp stared at the two and he scratched his head. "Seriously. What the hell did you two go through?"

Nana rubbed her throat. "You really want me to tell it now, Usopp-sama? We should wait until everyone is back together and we find Jimbei."

"Boss Jimbei is not on the island now," Camie interrupted with a frown.

"What?!" Luffy exclaimed.

Camie nodded. "When he withdrew from the Warlords, he could no longer stay on this island so he left. It's a long story but the war had a lot of effects on this island too."

"Camie!" the quintuplets interrupted before Luffy or Nana could respond.

"The royal ship is coming!"

"A ship is coming!"

"No it's not."

"It maybe coming."

"A ship is coming, so what?"

"The royal ship? Who's on it?" Camie asked.

"We don't know. But they might be coming after Luffy-chin since they came in illegally," one of the quintuplets said.

"We should hide," Usopp hissed at Luffy and they all scrambled behind some rocks and out of sight.

Nana tried to look over at Sanji but she couldn't see him from where she was crouching. She could only hope he was okay and, more importantly, behaving.

She watched as a bubble enccased ship pulled by an eel like sea king floated over to them. The royal guards announced the arrival of the three Neptune brothers, the Princes of Fishman Island. The three brothers looked nothing alike. One was a Merman with wavy blue hair and muscular arms. The other two looked more like Fishmen.

They had received a report of an illegal entry and questioned the mermaids if they had seen any of the intruders. The mermaids vehemently denied it and Nana held her breath.

"Hmm...Okay, thank you very much," the merman said as he turned the ship around, "We'll check somewhere else. Sorry to bother you all and intrude on your fun."

 _He's very polite,_  Nana couldn't help but notice as she watched the ship pull away,  _I didn't expect that from a prince._

"Oy! Speaking of princes…" Usopp hissed, "Where's  _Mr._  Prince?"

As if on cue, a fountain of blood shot out from behind a reef.

"AHHHHHHH! Sanji-chan!" a mermaid cried.

The Straw Hats scrambled out of their hiding places and ran over to the cook, who was bleeding profusely into the water, while being held tightly to the bosom of a mermaid.

 _That idiot!_ Nana seethed as she pulled him away from the mermaid and onto the rock. Sanji's eyes rolled to the back of his head and he sagged against Nana's hold with a stupid grin on his face. "Sanji! Stay with me," she hissed.

"All that pent up energy finally exploded," Usopp shrieked, "Chopper, what do we do?!"

Guards leapt off of the royal ship and they stood in front of the Straw Hats. "God damn it. Our shitty luck," Nana cursed. She got up to her feet and grabbed her hammer, "Usopp. Watch over Sanji."

"Wait a minute!" Chopper exclaimed as he came in between Luffy, Nana, and the guards, "We're sorry about the illegal entry. But you can't arrest us now. Can somebody donate blood now? If nothing is done, our friend is gonna die within the hour. His blood type is S RH negative. It's rare but is there anyone who can donate their blood? Humans and Fishmen share the same blood, right?"

Luffy knelt to the ground. "Please, somebody," he pleaded as he bowed his head, "I beg you. GIve blood to Sanji!"

"Hammu hammu hammu!" someone laughed from the other side of the cove.

Nana turned around she recognized the Fishman as one of the riders that had tried to attack them before they entered the island.

"There is nobody on this island who would give blood to such lowly creatures as humans," the rider laughed with two of his buddies next to him, "If somebody does, he risks the Punishment of the Dark Night from human haters."

"Punishment?" Usopp shrieked.

"Your friend can just keep losing blood helplessly and die!" the rider laughed, "There is an old law in our kingdom. Donating blood to humans is prohibited."

"What?!" Nana demanded.

"You humans set the rule first," the rider accused, "You people have a long history of fearing us as monsters. You're the ones who refused to get our blood mixed with yours. That's why Fisher Tiger, the hero of Fishman Island, died."

"Fisher Tiger?" Luffy asked.

"He risked his own life to free slaves of all races, but after a bloody war, he lost his life. Although, he could've lived by a blood transfusion! Those heartless humans refused to give blood, so he died," the rider shouted and then pointed a finger at Luffy, "Straw Hat! Give up on your crew member's life and come to the Fishman District with us. The captain of the New Fishman Pirates, Hordy Jones, is expecting you guys."

"Now is not the time to make deals, you fucking guppy!" Nana barked, feeling her throat burn at the sudden strain.

She could hear Sanji's ragged breathing. She turned to the guards and sank to her knees. "I don't know about the law around here but there's gotta be someone here who has Sanji's blood type," she begged as loudly as she could. The sound of her gravelly voice only fueled her frustration and panic.

She lowered her head onto the floor. "Please. Anyone with S RH negative?" she shouted, "I'll repay you in anyway that I can afterwards. I'll do anything. Please just save his life. PLEASE. I'll do-"

Her voice cracked and she started to cough violently with spots of blood splattering onto the coral beneath her. It burned for her to even breathe but she refused to stop. "I'll do anything!"

"Nana!" Usopp yelled.

"I said it's no use," the rider laughed as he raised a gun at them, "If you don't comply, I'll just have to use force!"

Luffy pumped up his legs. "Gear Second."

Without taking her head off of the floor, Nana lifted her hand behind her and towards the man. "Catch," she whispered.

His gun flew right into Nana's hand just as Luffy's fist collided into the rider's face. Nana tossed the gun to the side still with her head stuck to the floor. "Please!" she shouted again at the guards as more blood fell onto the ground, "He'll die!"

"I told you that we weren't gonna join you!" Luffy shouted at the rider. "Jet Pistol!"

Luffy launched another two punches at the other two pirates that came with the rider. The Sea King they rode in on came charging towards the Straw Hats. Luffy lowered his hat and glared up at the animal. The Sea King instantly stopped in its tracks but Nana wasn't paying any attention to that. She was still bowing to the guards.

"Luffy-chin! Everybody! Bring Sanji-chin over here and we'll go to town!"

Nana's head shot up and she saw Camie riding on the neck of the Sea King that was pulling the royal ship.

"There are many humans at the harbor! We can find someone there to donate blood! Hurry up!" the mermaid yelled.

"Okay!" Luffy shouted as he wrapped one arm around his nakama and pulled them all up to the ship.

Nana's legs hit the soft back of the Sea King and she hurriedly scrambled over to Sanji, who was beginning to twitch.  _Don't die on me. Not now and not like this. This is too soon and too_ stupid _!_

"Please Ryugu-chin," Camie pleaded to the Sea King, who began to move forward. Camie turned to the Straw Hats, "I'm sorry. If my blood type matched, I wouldn't refuse."

"Don't apologize," Chopper said with a shake of her head, "It's not your fault."

"I can't believe Sanji's dirty mind caused such a big issue. Even with all that happened with you and Hatchi two years ago, I didn't realize how deep the prejudice ran between humans and Fishman," Usopp grumbled.

"Yeah...And even if we get to the town, I don't know if we can find a donor right away," Camie said, "We haven't had that many human visitors in a month."

"What?!" Chopper gasped.

"Why? I thought Fishman Island was a popular place to go. And don't all pirates have to go through here?" Luffy asked.

"We don't know why," Camie said, "They say maybe somebody is standing in the voyagers' way."

"Well, we just need one human right," Nana whispered as she pulled out her megaphone.

"Don't strain your throat anymore, Nana," Chopper begged, "We'll find someone. We will. Let me do the talking."

Nana nodded and handed over her megaphone to Chopper. She sat quietly next to Sanji as they floated over the town. Chopper raised the megaphone to his lips. "Is there anyone with blood type S RH blood type?!"

"Please donate your blood! Our friend is about to die!" Usopp shouted.

"Please! We're begging you!" Luffy cried.

They begged and pleaded but there was no response. The three guys decided to go into the streets to find humans, while Camie and Nana guarded Sanji and watched from overhead.

Nana reached out and held Sanji's hand. His skin was getting quite pale and his hand was turning cold. Nana felt a sense of rage flow up inside of her and she scowled at the unconscious cook.

"Nana-chin," Camie asked with a worried expression on her face, "Are you mad at me and the guards for not donating blood? Because I can understand it if you are."

"No," Nana rasped, "I'm mad at him."

"Camie! Nana! We found someone!" Chopper's voice called out before Camie could ask anything more.

They hurriedly brought Sanji down to the street level and brought him into the back of the Mermaid Cafe, in the employee resting area. Chopper had found two drag queens who would be able to donate more than enough blood for Sanji.

The Straw Hats all sat around Sanji's bedside as Chopper started the blood transfusion process, except for Nana, who stood by the door. She watched the blood slowly flow from the bags and into Sanji's veins. With every drop of blood that came out of the blood bag, a little drop of anger went into her. Her mind flashed from Luffy to Jimbei to Iceberg. The images of all the blood and the IV's that were attached to them kept cycling through her brain with no intention of stopping.

Camie had made her a cup of hot honeyed tea for her throat and she had only drank about half of it when Sanji finally opened his eyes.

"Sanji, you're awake!" Chopper sighed with relief as Luffy and Chopper all slumped back in their chairs.

"Where...am I?" Sanji asked.

"We're in a town at the harbor. Sanji-chin, you lost almost all the blood from your body," Camie explained.

"We're so lucky we found a blood donor," Chopper said.

"Oh, I see," Sanji murmured as he sat up from his bed, "Guys, thank you for doing that...but I don't remember what happened. Where was I and what was I doing? I can barely remember..."

He scratched his head as he tried to think.

Usopp, Chopper, and Luffy leapt to their feet. "No, don't think back!"

"We don't want you to have a nosebleed again!" Chopper exclaimed.

Nana took a long swig of her tea to let the honey coat the back of her throat. "No. Let him remember," she said lowly, "If that's what he wants to do just let him."

The Straw Hats looked at her in surprise. Sanji clucked his tongue, "The last thing I remember was-"

"You had a massive nosebleed because you were lodged in between the breasts of a mermaid," Nana said bluntly, "They were milky white and they looked pretty soft from where I was standing. They were about the same size as Nami's."

"Wait. Nana, what are you trying to-" Usopp started to say but Nana continued with her eyes glaring into Sanji's.

"Your nosebleed happened just as the Princes of Fishman Island and their royal guards were about to leave. They were looking for us because we trespassed illegally," Nana continued, "Your nosebleed gave away our location, endangering us all, and worst of all, you put your own life at risk. You could've died! All for what?"

There was a tense silence as the blonde gaped at the angered mechanic. Usopp quickly leapt to his feet and he dragged both Luffy and Chopper out of the room. "Let's give these two some time alone. Camie, you should come out with us too."

"But Sanji isn't-" Chopper started to protest but Usopp gave his friend a stern look.

"Give them a moment."

Nana didn't move an inch as Chopper, Usopp, Luffy, and Camie silently filed out of the room.

Sanji blinked back at Nana. He hadn't seen such anger directed at him in a long, long time. "Nana, I'm sorry I worried you-"

"This is not about you worrying me or even about the stupid mermaids," Nana snapped, "I've accepted a long time ago that this is just how you are around women and that's just a weakness you have."

Nana paused for breath. "But in the last two years, we were all out there trying to strengthen our skills and abilities...except you. You seemed to have strengthened your  _weakness_. I don't know where the fuck you were in the last two years but you need to get your shit together."

She started to cough and she brought her hand over her mouth. When she lowered it, Sanji could see blood in the palm of her hand. "Nana, you shouldn't-"

"Shut up!" Nana seethed, "I sat quietly by while you let loose with the mermaids so now it's your turn to just watch me let loose."

She drew in a long ragged breath. "When I first met you, you made me feel so safe and secure. You were so reliable...but now...You not only easily put our nakama in danger, you also put your own life at risk. I feel like I can rely on Usopp-sama more than I can rely on you. Hell, I would feel safer with Brook than with you now and I used to be terrified of him!"

She walked over to his bedside and pulled out his hand. Sanji's eyes widened when she placed her necklace in his palm.

"The man I met two years ago, he was always there for me and I never had to ask him to. He flirted a lot with women, yes, but when it came down to it, he never lost focus and always put his nakama first. That man had a dream to go to the All Blue…" she said softly as she took a step back, "And you...you're already here, aren't you? This is your All Blue, right? Isn't that what you said? So congratulations, you've achieved your dreams."

"Nana, I-" Sanji started to say but she shook her head.

"You said that it was killing you not to be with me and that you were trying," Nana whispered, "So let me add some more motivation for you. Consider this a wake up call. If you don't get your shit together, if you don't go back to the man I met two years ago, then sooner rather than later, you'll lose me."

She closed his fingers over the necklace. "I fell in love with Sanji the Cook. Not Sanji the Pervert...so give this back to me when you're ready to be the man I love. I've been waiting for him for quite some time now...and I'm starting to lose my patience."

She turned on her heels and walked out of the room. She didn't hesitate in her step or look back at him even once.

* * *

 _I'm such an idiot,_ Sanji thought as he numbly watched Nana walk out and then a cautious Chopper come in to take her place.  _How could I be so stupid?_

He held the pendant in his hand as Chopper double checked the needle stuck in his vein. "Oy...Chopper," he said in a subdued tone, "Have the nosebleeds given me brain damage?"

Chopper frowned. "It's possible. I mean you did lose a lot of blood and it came mostly from your head so-"

Sanji knocked his head against the headboard hard.

"AH! Sanji! What are you doing?!" Chopper shrieked.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Sanji growled as he continuously banged his head back, "I'm trying to knock some sense back into me."

He stared up at the ceiling while his skull throbbed against his brain. "How could I have lost my mind like that? Fuck. Just two years without a single woman in sight and I've become some sort of wild animal?"

"I don't know much about what goes on between a man and a woman," Chopper admitted honestly as he took out a roll of bandage and began to wrap it around Sanji's head, "But I know that when someone has an addiction and they suffer from withdrawals, the backlash can be quite bad when they are suddenly exposed to the stimuli they've been craving."

"Ah," Sanji grunted, "I'm definitely feeling the backlash...and so is Nana...She must hate me right now."

"No," Chopper said, "That's not true. Back at Mermaid Cove she pleaded with the guards for them to donate their blood. She shouted so loudly she started to cough up blood. I don't think that's something someone does for someone they hate."

"She begged?" Sanji balked, "I don't think I've ever seen her beg before."

"She did and so did Luffy," Chopper replied quietly, "You scared all of us, Sanji."

"Ugh. I'm so sorry," Sanji said as he ran a hand over his tired eyes, "Complicating things and making matters worse is something the shitty morimo would do."

"Maybe," Chopper said with a thoughtful frown, "But Zoro makes up for it because he always comes through in the end. He's very dependable."

Chopper shrieked when he saw that the cook's head droop down and the aura around him became shrouded with depression.

"B-B-B-B-But you're also very dependable!" Chopper exclaimed, "You're very observant and you've come in to save the day a couple of times too."

"That was two years ago, Chopper," Sanji said quietly, "I'm not that man anymore. Now I'm just a pervert who loses his mind in front of beautiful ladies...even in front of the woman he loves!"

"That's not true!" Chopper insisted, "You're still Sanji! You just haven't adjusted to life as quickly as the rest of us. I mean, you haven't even cooked yet. I'm sure once you're back in your kitchen, you'll be back to what you usually do!"

"You think so, Chopper?" Sanji murmured.

Chopper nodded. "En! But first, let's get some more blood back in you."


	63. the Tracker

"Ah! Nana-san! You're drinking too fast. You should really-"

Nana slammed her beer pint down on the table and gave the side eye to the skeleton. After her conversation with Sanji, she had demanded directions from Camie to the nearest bar. The mermaid gave her directions to the Mermaid Cafe, which served beer and wine. That was enough for Nana and she marched straight there, not caring about Madame Sharkly, or whatever her name was, that Camie wanted to introduce them to.

She had walked through the painted automatic doors and winced internally when she spotted Brook at a table with Pappagu and two mermaids giggling at his side.  _Am I destined to just be surrounded by perverts?_

She was already several drinks in but her mood was not much better. She didn't want to talk and she used her injured throat as an excuse to keep conversation at a minimum. She wiped the beer foam off of her lips and she let out a deep sigh. She wasn't even close to getting a nice buzz. She held up her hand and indicated the number five to Brook.

"You want to leave in 5 minutes, Nana-san?" he asked.

Nana shook her head. "5 more beers," she rasped.

"Goggles," Pappagu said with a concerned glance, "If you're in a bad mood, I know the best way to cheer you up. My shop is-"

"Goggles?" Nana grunted and she raised an eyebrow at Pappagu, "Did you just call me Goggles?"

"Yohohohoho. Don't take offense, Nana-san," Brook laughed, "Pappagu-san has been calling me 'Bones' and referring to Luffy as 'Straw"."

Then his face turned solemn, "But it does seem you're in a bad mood, Nana-san. Is everything okay? Ah! Did you lose your necklace in the current?"

Nana shook her head. "No. I didn't lose it."

"But you're not wearing it."

"I know," Nana said softly, "But it's not because I lost it."

"If you want a new necklace, you should go to Fishverly Hills!" a mermaid with long, pink hair suggested and showed Brook the pearl necklace dangling around her own neck that swooped just below her cleavage, "This is where I got mine, Soul King! Do you like it?"

"Yohohoho! Very nice," Brook laughed.

Nana rolled her eyes. She pushed back her chair and stood up. "Forget the beers. I think that's my cue to leave," she said, "I'll go find Luffy and the others at Madame Sharkley's."

"Madame Sharley?" Pappagu gasped, "Why is Straw with Madame Sharley?"

Nana shrugged. "I have no idea. Camie insisted on them meeting her."

"Oh! They're with Camie!" Pappagu exclaimed as he jumped on the table, "Come on, Bones! Let's go find them and we can all come to my house."

"Oh yeah...I heard you had a mansion," Nana murmured and she poked Pappagu hard in the belly, "Hard to imagine a tiny guy like you is such a big shot here."

Pappagu shifted his sunglasses on his face and gave a cocky smile to Nana. "Well, up on land I might be just a fashionable starfish...but down here, on Fishman Island, I am the President and head designer of-"

"So you want to go find Luffy?" Nana asked Brook.

Pappagu hung his head. "At least...listen to me…" he whined.

"Yes, let's go find Luffy-san," Brook agreed and got up to his feet. The mermaids on his side followed suit and he draped one arm over each of their shoulders.

"Funny how only the dead guy on our crew was able to live life to the fullest these past two years," Nana noted, which made Brook laugh.

"I did enjoy myself," he agreed, "But there were dark times too for me. I missed everyone a lot, Nana-san. Ah! It's so good to be reunited with everyone."

"Speaking of.." Nana said as the doors slid open and she saw Luffy, Usopp, and Camie walking towards them.

"Yohoho! Luffy-san! Usopp-san!" Brook called out as he waved to them, "Camie-san, it's been awhile."

Usopp and Luffy grinned when they saw the skeleton. "Oh! Brook!"

"Camie-san, may I see your-"

_Thwack. Thwack._

Pappagu kicked Brook on one side of the face while Nana punched him in the other. "She's a mermaid," they both scolded at the still smiling skeleton.

Pappagu shrugged at his rockstar friend and then jumped over to hug Luffy. "Straw! Nose! So good to see you guys."

Usopp looked over at Brook. "I didn't realize you were with Pappagu, Brook."

"Apparently, Pappagu was the one who found Brook floating around near the cove. No one else was with him," Nana said.

"Oh, Nana-san, I didn't realize you were listening," Brook mused, "You were so concentrated on drinking your beers."

Usopp scratched his head. "You've only been gone for twenty minutes. How many beers have you had?"

Nana shrugged.

"Nine," Brook reported, "And a half glass of water."

"Nine beers?!" Usopp and Luffy shrieked.

Nana shrugged again and turned to Pappagu. "Didn't you say something about going to your place?"

"Oh yeah! Straw," Pappagu said as he turned to Luffy, "You guys aren't leaving today, right? If you're interested in the cafe you can come later because I'm inviting you back to my place for some sea monster meat."

Luffy's eyes sparkled. "MEAT?! You can eat meat? Camie says that you guys only eat shellfish and sea plants here."

Pappagu shook his head. "Unlike Merfolk, Fishmen eat fish and meat so you can still get it here."

He then turned to Nana. "If you want some stronger stuff, I have some top shelf liquor in my-"

"Done!" Nana said as she waved her arms at a fish with a hat that said Taxi on the front.

"What the hell, Nana?! Are you turning into Zoro?" Usopp demanded as Nana climbed on board.

She made her way to the backseat and sat down on the fluffy cushion with her feet propped up on the seat in front of her. Luffy followed after her and then after awhile, the rest of their group climbed in.

Nana saw that Brook had a wanted poster in his bony hands. She raised her eyebrows at it and nudged him with her foot. He glanced up at her and showed him the poster. It was a picture of a fishman with beige skin and long spiky black hair.

"This is a wanted poster for Vander Decken...but I thought he was a ghost," Brook explained.

"The guy on the ghost ship?" USopp asked.

Pappagu took off his sunglasses and blinked at the Straw Hats in surprise. "You guys saw him? The whole nation has been looking for him. He's a pirate who started sending love letters to the Mermaid Princess once a week ten years ago. Since then, the letters became packages, then threats to marry him, and then actual threats."

"Ten years?" Nana asked, "How old is the princess?"

"Sixteen," Pappagu said.

Nana's feet swung off of the seat in front of her and she sat up. "He's been stalking her since she was six?!" she shouted loud enough to initiate another round of violent coughing.

"Easy, Nana," Usopp said as Brook looked at Nana in surprise.

"Nana-san, are you-?"

"She just swallowed a lot of sea water," Usopp said, "Chopper said it'll heal soon enough. She just can't strain her voice too much for the next couple of days."

"As I was saying," Pappagu huffed, "The threats escalated and King Neptune-"

"King Neptune got mad," Camie interrupted, "And those three princes we just met have been looking for him with the army this whole time."

Pappagu flung himself onto the seat cushion. "Camie...I was just about to say that," he muffled into the fabric.

"King Neptune has four children, including the Mermaid Princess, who is the youngest," Camie continued.

Nana tried to clear her throat as much as possible. "But...isn't Vander Decken a pirate from hundreds of years ago? Is his ghost haunting the princess?"

"Well, those legends are exaggerated," Pappagu said as he put his sunglasses back on, "There was a captain Vander Decken who once sailed to Fishman Island and then died here. The ship you saw was the Flying Dutchman right? Well, the captain Vander Decken you saw is-"

"Vander Decken the Ninth," Camie chimed in, "He's a descendant of the legendary captain."

"Yohohoho, that means he's not a ghost then," Brook laughed.

Nana backhanded him hard with her hand. "You scared us for nothing, Brook."

"I was just as scared as you were, Nana-san," Brook whimpered.

Nana was about to snap back when Usopp held his hand up to her. "Save your voice, Nana. Let me take this one."

Nana clamped her mouth shut and nodded at the sniper, who glared over at the skeleton. "You're already dead! There's no reason for you to be scared of ghosts!" he shouted.

Nana grunted her thanks and folded her arms across her chest. She listened silently as the group started to chat about life on Fishman Island. Pappagu explained to them the genealogy between a Fishman and a Mermaid. Apparently, it didn't matter whether your parents were Merfolk, Fishmen, or a combination of the two. The kids could either be Merfolk or Fishmen. Thus explaining why the three princes looked nothing alike.

They passed by a building with a jolly roger painted at the front of it. The jolly roger was brightly colored and the skull had big red lips on it. Nana nudged Luffy with her elbow and pointed it to him. "Pirates?"

"Ooh! What's that?!" Luffy exclaimed.

"That's a candy factory," Pappagu said.

"By why the pirate flag?" Luffy asked.

"That? You can see the same flag at the entrance of the island and at the harbor. That flag is protecting the Fishman Island. The mark belongs to a pirate called Charlotte Linlin of the NEw World. She's also known as the Big Mom, one of the Four Emperors," Pappagu explained.

"Like Whitebeard?" Nana rasped.

Pappagu nodded. "Before the war, Whitebeard was protecting this island from pirates, but now it's Big Mom...But she demands a lot of sweet candies every month in exchange. That's what the factory is for."

"A Yonko...just like Shanks," Luffy grinned, "I wonder if I'll ever meet her someday."

Pappagu leapt onto the top of the seat and pointed forwards. "Look forward, guys! We're in Fishverly Hills, the town of the celebs!"

"The tall building right in front of us is Pappagu's house."

Nana leaned a bit forward and she could see a three story mansion made out of coral with red and yellow sign at the top that said Crimin. The building was half the size of the main office of Galley-la. t

"That's too much for a starfish!" Usopp, Luffy, and Brook complained, voicing Nana's sentiment.

They pulled up to the house and were greeted at the door by a staff of mer-maids and mer-butlers. They bowed their heads as they formed two lines by the door. "Welcome home, Master-sama."

Pappagu grinned, showing all his pearly white teeth, while he adjusted his sunglasses over his eyes. Behind him, groups of people were pointing at him and talking amongst themselves.

"Is that Monsieur Pappagu, the famous designer?"

"Wow! It's really him."

Luffy looked down at the starfish. "Are you some big celebrity here or something?"

Pappagu let out a short burst of cocky laughter. "I am the president and a very popular designer of the Crimin Brand Co. The brand is known all over the world. We even have a store in the famous Doskoi Panda-"

"Look over there, Luffy!" Usopp called excitedly as he turned his captain towards a busy street with fancy dressed mermaids and Fishmen, "That guy has a tophat and cane!"

"Oh! You see that building over there?" Camie said, "The 1st floor is a Crimin store."

"Why won't you guys ever listen to me?" Pappagu cried from behind the group.

"Let's go there!" Luffy announced as he ran towards the store.

The whole group dashed in just in time to see Nami at the counter, bargaining with the poor Fishman store attendant. "That's too cruel, Miss! It's less than half price!" the Fishman complained as he fiddled nervously with his bow tie.

"Hey! Nami!" Luffy called as they walked into the store.

"Nami-chin!" Camie shouted. She and Nami ran towards each other and they clasped hands.

"Camie! It's been awhile. How are you?" Nami asked excitedly.

Nana wordlessly lifted Pappagu up by his arm and pointed him out to the store clerk. "Nami," she coughed, "Pappagu. Owner. Discount."

Nami's eyes flashed and she instantly dropped her hold on Camie's hands. She reached over and pinched Pappagu's cheeks. "Oy, what's up with your store? Everything is so expensive."

"Wait! Wait!" Pappagu protested. He wriggled free of the women's hold and he stood proudly in the middle of his store. "We're friends, aren't we? I owe you guys big time for two years ago. It's all free! Take as much as you want!"

That was like music to the navigator's ears. Her whole face lit up and she twirled around the store. "Really?! Free?!"

Nana sighed and shut the glass door to the store. She flipped the sign that hung right above the door handle from "Open" to "Closed for the Day".

"Wh-what are you doing, Goggles?!" Pappagu protested.

Nana shrugged and smiled apologetically at Pappagu. She pointed over at Nami, who had already swept three shelves full of carefully folded clothes directly into a large cloth bag. Beside her, Usopp and Luffy were gathering a whole rack.

"Ah! You guys are taking everything?!" Pappagu shouted.

"Yohohoho. We are pirates, after all, Pappagu-san," Brook said as he looked over the store's sunglasses selection before putting it all in a bag himself.

Nana went over to a rack and picked out a dark grey scarf. It was thick and long. She wrapped it around and around her neck to the point that covered her mouth and chin. She was delighted to find that it was light yet warm. She saluted to Pappagu. "Thanks," she muffled.

"What? Nana, don't take just one. Take it all!" Nami ordered. The navigator tossed her an empty cloth bag.

Nana swiped all the scarves on the rack and grabbed handbags and other accessories as well. She hung the full sack on her back and waited for everyone else to finish.

"Merciless! So merciless!" Pappagu shouted.

"I'm happy for you guys," Camie said with a smile.

Nana turned towards the door. The sounds of people talking were getting louder and louder. She pushed open the glass doors and saw that crowds were gathering on the streets.

"What's going on?" Brook asked as he walked over towards the mechanic, "There's all this ruckus."

A fishman, in a matching suit as the cashier that Nami was bartering with, came running frantically into the store. "Monsieur! This is serious!" he gasped.

"What is it?" Pappagu demanded.

"I-I-I-It's him!" the Fishman gasped, "H-H-He came from the palace. Please come outside and see!"

The whole group rushed outside. The salesman pointed up at the sky and they all looked up. Someone was riding on top of a large black whale and he was chanting "Jamon! Jamon! Jamon!" in a deep booming voice. They were too high up for Nana to see who it was but the whale was slowly drifting down towards them.

"What is it? A whale?" Luffy asked.

As they descended, Nana could see more and more. It was a large Fishman, the size of a small whale himself, with long bushy orange hair and a beard to match. He had a red nose and a golden crown on his head. His whale also had a crown perched on his noggin.

"Why did he come down to the lower world?!" Pappagu gasped.

"This can't be happening. He's never travelled down like this," someone in the crowd exclaimed.

When the whale and the Fishman parked in front of the store, the Fishman chuckled at the Straw Hats.

Luffy tilted his head to the side. "Who is that old man?"

"Idiot!" Pappagu exclaimed in fear as he jumped up and down, "Don't you know that is the king of the Ryugu Kingdom on the Fishman Island? Neptune-sama!"

"The whale or the Fishman?" Nana asked.

"WHAT?!" Camie cried incredulously, "Nana-chin. Please watch what you're saying."

"Why would it be a whale?!" Pappagu seethed.

Nana looked at him as if he was spouting nonsense. "He has a crown! And I'm sorry but is it really hard to believe that on a Fishman Island, where a starfish is a famous celebrity, the king could be a whale?!"

"That's the king's pet! Hoe!" Pappagu shouted.

"That's a huge Merman," Usopp breathed.

"He's a very hairy old man," Luffy added.

"I prefer mermaids," Brook admitted.

"That's so rude, you guys! Get down on your knees!" Pappagu demanded.

The king turned to someone behind him and they spotted the shark that they had freed from the Kraken.  _That's why his shirt looked familiar,_ Nana thought,  _It's from Pappagu's brand._

"Megalo," the king asked the shark, "Are you sure that it was these people-jamon?"

The shark nodded.

"Ah! It's the shark that was captured by Surume!" Luffy grinned.

"You. Straw Hat people," the king said sternly with his arms folded across his hairy chest, "I'm going to…"

Nana clenched her jaw and flexed her hands. If they needed to make a quick getaway, she would have to drop the bag of clothes she was holding and she knew Nami wasn't going to be too happy about that.

The king spread his arms out wide and his eyes crinkled into a smile. If his lips moved, Nana couldn't tell because of his thick beard. "...Invite you to the Ryugu Palace-jamon!" he cheered in a delighted tone.

"WHAT?! Ryu-Ryu-Ryu-Ryugu Palace?!" Camie and Pappagu screamed with their tongues wagging out.

"That's right," the king said with his arms crossed over his chest once more.

"What's the Ryugu Palace?" Luffy demanded.

"You don't know what it is?!" Pappagu exclaimed.

"How would we know? We're not from here!" Nana hissed through her scarf, "So stop screaming over everything and just tell us what we need to know."

Pappagu quickly recovered and adjusted his sunglasses. "Right. I'll tell you. It's pretty much a holy place for us citizens. A celestial world where ordinary people are not allowed. It's the-"

"Royal palace of the Ryugu Kingdom," Camie finished. She pointed upwards, "It's in a separate bubble outside of Fishman Island with only one point of entry."

"Camie...Camie…" Pappagu cried from the floor, "Why won't you let me finish?"

"Hmmm...old man!" Luffy shouted, "Is there a lot of good food at the Ryugu Palace?"

King Neptune nodded. "Of course. We have prepared a banquet for you-jamon."

Luffy's grin widened to a big smile. "Oh yeah? I can't wait! Shishishishi."

"I'd like to see the Ryugu Palace," Brook chimed in, "My heart is filled with expectations..but I don't have a heart to be filled."

"I want to go too!" Nami cheered, "I sense treasure."

"I knew that was what you'd be in interested in," Usopp sighed.

"Alright, Megalo," King Neptune said to the shark, "Give the Straw Hat people a ride to the Ryugu Palace-jamon."

The shark nodded and swam over to them. The Straw Hats all climbed on and Luffy frowned down at Camie and Pappagu, who were standing on the steps of the store. "Aren't you guys coming?"

"Huh? W-W-We don't deserve to go to the Ryugu Palace..." Pappagu protested.

"Stop grumbling and come! Let's have a banquet!" Luffy insisted.

"That's fine with you, right, gramps?" Nami called over to the king.

"You can't say 'grandpa'!" Pappagu cried in horror.

"Your friends can come too," the king said.

"See? Grandpa, you're an understanding person," Nami replied with a grin.

"What'd you expect?" Nana muttered as she pulled her scarf over her mouth, "A huge heart from a huge Merman."

Nana sat against Megalo's sharkfin in between Usopp and Nami, while they sailed above Fishman Island. She sat with her knees up and her arms hugging them.

"What's up with this shark, old man?" Luffy called over to the king, who was riding his whale next to them. The rubber man himself was standing near the head of the shark.

"You guys are so rude," Pappagu wailed helplessly as he, Brook, and Camie sat on the other side of Megalo's fin.

"Megalo is a pet that my daughter loves very much-jamon. She kept crying hysterically, saying 'Megalo is never coming back'. So thank you for saving him," the king explained.

"Oh. Speaking of pets! Nana, aren't you worried about Pygmy?" Usopp asked.

Nana snorted. "I'm not going to cry about it, if that's what you're asking me...but no, I'm not worried about him. He's with Franky."

"Oh yeah!" Nami breathed, overhearing the conversation, "Pygmy was with us when we were dragged in by the current. He left with Franky. How did you know that, Nana? Did you see them?"

Nana smiled against her scarf. "No, I didn't see him. I just knew."

Nana grinned and pulled out a small compact from the pouch on her leg. "You see, the three of us made a deal…"

"A deal?"

* * *

_-Flashback, 9 days ago, Sabaody Archipelago -_

"Ow! Nana-brat! I'm so happy to see you. You look so grown up now," Franky sobbed for the twelfth time that day as he clutched Nana tightly to his metal chest, her legs dangling in the air.

"Gahhhh," Nana gasped. She pushed his two metallic arms away from her and fell down to the ground, "You're going to crush me with your upgrades, you moronbot! And stop bursting into tears and hugging me randomly or else we're never going to get any work done."

Pygmy barked and ran in circles around the the pair as they sat down on the deck of the Thousand Sunny. Nana felt the jelly like coating beneath her fingers and she grinned up at Franky. "I can't believe I'm back here..and seeing you again. I was so worried about you!"

Franky wiped the tears from his eyes with his small robot hands and he nodded back at Nana. "I was worried about you too, Nana-brat. Ow! I almost had a heart attack when I saw you in the newspaper next to Luffy."

Nana shrugged. "I had to tell Sanji not to come look for me."

"I know," Franky said, "But you made yourself a bigger target to the marines. Did you know they raised your bounty? To 115 million bellis."

Nana's eyes widened. "Did they update my picture?"

"Not the point, Nana-brat!" Franky insisted, "It's not much of a rise in bounty but it still means their interest in you is growing."

"If they don't update my picture, than Icy won't be able to see my progress!" Nana huffed, "Besides, they only did that because I showed up at Marineford to get Luffy."

Franky shook his head. "That wasn't public knowledge. The newspapers made no mention of you being at the War of the Best. I remember you said that the truffle guy came with you-"

"Trafalgar Law," Nana corrected.

"His bounty didn't rise," Franky said, "Nor any of his crew members. Just yours. Whatever you did at Marineford, it was because of what you did in front of the marines...In front of the Admirals."

Nana shrugged. "I did what I had to do."

Franky sighed and threw a small compact at Nana. She caught it her hands and lifted it up to the light. "What? You telling me to wear makeup and disguise myself?'

"Open it, Nana-brat," he said.

She obeyed and her eyes widened when she saw that the compact was a scanner. Green concentric circles formed at the bottom of the compact with a light sweeping through it every three seconds. There was a flashing green dot right at the top of the concentric circles. There were also four arrows that pointed North, South, East, and West on the screen.

She looked curiously at Franky. "What is this tracking?"

Franky grinned, "Super me. As long as I'm within a 1000 meter radius, it'll show up on your scanner."

"How'd you make something like this?" Nana demanded, "This isn't tech that you usually dabble with."

"Because I'm super!" Franky cried, "And I learned a few things during my two years."

He then squatted down and lifted his sunglasses so he could be eye to eye with Nana. "I want you to promise me, Nana-brat, that you'll super come find me if there's ever any trouble. Okay? Bakaberg trusted you with me so I'm partially responsible for your well being."

"I promise," Nana said with a grin and then she pulled out her Vivre Card, the one that Law had made. She tore out a corner and gave it to Franky, "This Vivre Card will lead you to me. So the same promise goes to you too. I'm just as responsible for you as you are for me."

Franky's tears welled up and he pushed his sunglasses down so Nana couldn't see his tears. "Ow! I'm not crying, Nana-brat."

Pygmy barked and knocked Franky to the ground. He frantically licked Franky in the face. Nana laughed as she stood back up. "Well, it seems Pygmy missed you too and wants to be part of this deal."

She crossed her arms. "Just so all three of us don't get separated, as long as two of us are together, the odd man out will come find the others. That way, if you're already with someone, you guys are at least together. Splitting up would make it more complicated."

Franky pushed Pygmy off of him and he nodded. "That makes sense, Nana-brat...but does your mutt even understand that?"

Nana grinned and looked at Pygmy. "You either find me or find Franky and then stay there. Okay?"

Pygmy barked and wagged his tail. "I think he got it," Nana said with a grin.

"Are...you sure?" Franky asked.


	64. A Visit to the Palace

Nana showed Usopp the compact to show the green flashing dot on the screen. "See? We follow that dot, we'll get to Franky."

"So handy," Usopp breathed as Nami quickly confiscated the compact.

"Wait! Nami!" Nana protested but Nami grinned at her.

"I'm the navigator. I'll give it back to you when we're off this island."

"You mean, when you've loaded the Sunny with the king's treasures and we have to make a quick getaway?" Nana asked.

"Yep!" Nami said proudly.

"At least whisper! The king is right there!" Usopp hissed.

"Oh! Pappagu-san," Brook said, "If I remember correctly, you said you were friends with the Mermaid Princess."

"Shhh! Shhh!" Pappagu said frantically.

"Oh...so that's a lie," Brook sighed, "Anyway, I feel sorry for Sanji-san. He wanted to see the Mermaid Princess more than anybody."

Usopp tensed up and he looked nervously at Nana. Nami saw the look on the sniper's face and she frowned over at Nana. "Did something happen to Sanji-kun?"

"He lost a lot of blood from over stimulation," Nana stated tersely, "So he's resting with Chopper after we found a couple of humans who shared Sanji's blood type."

"Nana…" Usopp said cautiously, "Luffy and I went to go take one last look at Sanji before we came to the Mermaid Cafe. He seemed really depressed...and that was before he found out his blood donors were two drag queens. Whatever you said to him, really hit him hard."

"I said to him what he needed to hear," Nana muttered.

"Still...You can't be too hard on the guy. I don't think he has any control over -"

"You weren't there, Usopp-sama," Nana said quietly as she pulled down her scarf so that Usopp could hear her clearly, "So you don't understand."

"What are you talking about? I was at the cove with you."

"No...I mean, at Marineford," Nana whispered so only him and Nami could hear her.

The two Straw Hats stiffened as Nana continued. "Luffy was minutes away from dying. He looked so much worse than when Sanji and I found Zoro at Thriller Bark. I didn't even think that was possible. It was a miracle that I came with a doctor and even then, after Luffy was operated on and was pronounced stable, there was still a big chance he was going to die."

Nana shook her head as soon as the memory came flooding back in. "I trained so hard the last two years...not just because I don't want to see us separated...but because I don't want to see any of us near death like that again...And for Sanji to risk his life for something so...so... _stupid…_ "

She drew in a shaky breath. "I know eventually, he's going to return back to normal but...I can't wait that long because I can't watch another nakama die in front of me. I can't."

She looked over at Usopp. "I said what I needed to say to him not because I don't love him...and not because I think he doesn't love me. I said it because it was the only thing I could do to get him to listen and pay attention."

"Good for you," Nami said with a nod, "About time someone found a way to control Sanji-kun's behavior."

"It's not control," Nana murmured as she pulled her scarf over her mouth.

"Oh! I almost forgot. I already invited one of your friends!" the king called over, "He is a swordsman. he started drinking at the banquet already. His name is..."

 _Must be Zoro,_ Usopp, Nami, and Nana all thought at the same time.

"Zori!" King Neptune shouted.

"It's Zoro!" Usopp and Nami corrected in frustration as they leapt up to their feet. They didn't expect the headwinds to be so strong and they lost their balance, "Ahhhhh!"

Quickly, Nana grabbed both of them by the ankles and pulled them back down next to her.

"Whew! Saved," Nami breathed, "Thanks, Nana."

"My soldiers will find the rest of your friends and bring them to the palace so don't worry-jamon," the king continued.

"Oh yeah...Nami, don't you know where the others are?" Luffy asked.

"We split up," Nami said, "Robin had something she said she wanted to check out on this island that relates to important pieces of history. Franky and Pygmy went to go look for someone."

"To coat the ship?" Nana guessed.

Nami shook her head, 'Something about a relative of Tom-san's?"

Nana leapt to her feet. "Shit! I forgot. Tom-san was a Fish-whoahhhh!"

Now it was her turn to lose balance and she fell off Megalo. She grabbed onto his tail fin at the last second to stop herself from plummeting down to the island.

"Nana!" Usopp and Nami gasped as Nana slowly pulled herself back onto the shark.

"Shit, that was close," she mumbled against her scarf, "Damn it. I want to meet Tom-san's relatives too. I wonder if they're all craftsmen like him."

"I have a question," Nami frowned as she looked up at the sky, 'This place is 10,000 meters below sea level. So why is there light around this island?"

The king laughed. "The island itself doesn't provide any light. This is the only place in the deep sea that has light...so Fishmen started living here a long time ago."

"So where does the light come from?" Nami asked.

"From the roots of the ancient tree called the Sun Tree Eve. The roots transfer sunlight from the surface to the deep sea," the king explained.

"Yo mean there is a tree with shining roots more than 10,000 meters long?!" Nami gasped.

The king nodded, "Scientists have been trying to study it for ages but it is a mystical tree. Its respiration supplies air to the sea floor as well."

"It's like the boss of the Hustle Muscle Mangrove of Sabaody," Usopp compared thoughtfully.

"Oh! We're approaching the entrance-jamon," the king said as he pointed high above their heads.

Nana leaned on her elbows and stared up. The palace was encased in a bubble that Nana could only guess was the size of a small moon. The entrance itself was a large metal ring with a thick gate at its center.

The king pressed a button on the outside ring.  _Ding dong._

"It's me-jamon," the king announced.

"I-It must be the k-k-king!" A frantic voice answered on the other end of the speaker system, "I'll lower the gate right away."

King Neptune reached into his beard and handed two small pink corals, both shaped like a spineless cactus, to Luffy and Nami. "Here, take these."

"What is it?" Luffy asked.

"It's a Bubbly Coral. You can make a bubble easily with it," Camie explained.

"Most of the palace is filled with sea water," the king added.

Nana's eyes widened and she glared at Pappagu, "Why the hell did you leave that part out?!"

"I-I-I didn't know!" Pappagu protested, "This is the first time I've been this close to the palace as it is!"

Luffy and Nami clicked the top of the coral. A bubble began to grow at the bottom of each coral until the two bubbles linked together to form one big enough to encase the Straw Hats, Camie, and Pappagu. "Ah, so convenient!" Luffy cheered.

A watery tunnel connected to the gate as the metal doors opened. The whale and Megalo swam through and up to the palace. The water tunnel had its own current and Megalo shot forward very quickly.

When they emerged from the tunnel, Nana's eyes widened. Basked in the light of the Sun Tree Eve, the palace gave the feel of a holy temple. The palace was enormous with a coral dragon sculpture wrapped around the top for a majestic touch. They swam up the impressively large staircase to an even more impressive golden front door.

The doors creaked open and they swam through into the grand hall. Whales and schools of sihes swam above their heads and around the stone pillars. Hundreds of guards lined against the wall with their tridents in hand. "Welcome home, King-sama," they greeted in unison.

Luffy and the Straw Hats walked through the water filled hall, safe inside their bubble.

"It's my palace-jamon. Stay as long as you like," the king said proudly.

Luffy laughed. "This palace looks fun!"

"Boy! You did it again!" came a harsh voice. They turned to see an old Fishman with a seahorse face looking sternly up at the king. By his side stood a catfish Fishman with long whiskers and a top hat.

"You must learn your place! You went out of the palace on your own again!" the old seahorse continued to lecture to the king, "It's inexcusable to go down to the lower world without guards!"

The king hung his head sheepishly. "I'm very sorry for the inconvenience-jamon."

"It'll be too late once something happens!" the seahorse continued.

Nana smacked Pappagu. "And you thought we were being rude," she huffed at him.

"Those are the king's ministers! They are doing it for his own good," Pappagu said defensively, "You're nobody."

Nana pinched Pappagu's cheeks and stretched them out to the side. "Wanna run that by me one more time, you bastard?"

"You know what I mean," Pappagu squealed in pain.

"If it wasn't for us, you wouldn't even be here," she growled lowly.

"Oy...Where's Luffy?" Usopp asked and Nana dropped Pappagu to look around.

The sniper was right. The rubber man was nowhere to be seen.

"Ugh, he can never sit still," Nami groaned.

Nana closed her eyes and tried to see if she could get a sense of where Luffy was. Her ears twitched when she heard the sounds of the ministers talking to the king. She was slightly surprised she could hear them through the water. It was a little warbled but she could hear the distinct words "Straw Hats", "suspects", "investigation". None of which boded well for them.

Nana pulled down her scarf. "Oy...guys," she hissed, "Banquet's been delayed."

"What?!" the Straw Hats shouted and she winced.

"Shhhh. I'm trying to listen and pay attention!" Nana hissed again. Then she slowly opened her eyes, "We're about to be accused of something we didn't do."

Sure enough, the guards began to surround the bubble and Nana reached for her hammer just as the catfish minister swam towards them. "I'm sorry that you came all the way here, but we've just received a call. You Straw Hat people are suspects on two investigations. We've already taken your other friend into custody, which was easy as he was already intoxicated."

_God damn it, Zoro._

"What are we being investigated for?" Usopp demanded.

"First, for multiple counts of Mermaid kidnapping. Second, you people are suspected of being a potential risk to the Fishman Island due to Madame Sharley's premonition."

"Sharkley's premonition?" Nana asked with a tilt to her head.

"Sharley!" Pappagu corrected.

"Wait! You can't hold us accountable for something that hasn't happened yet!" Usopp argued.

"And why are we being suspected for a kidnapping? Because we're pirates or because we're humans?!" Nana demanded and she pointed a finger at Camie, "Because Camie can tell you, we would never do that!"

Camie nodded tearfully. "It's true, King Neptune."

"Catch them at any cost! We have to protect Fishman Island," the catfish declared, "Guards! Seize them!"

Nana pulled down her scarf as the guards started to run towards them. "Why do you get to make all decisions? I suspect YOU of trying to usurp the king and take the crown for yourself!"

The guards froze as the catfish gaped at her. "H-H-H-How dare you accuse me of-"

"Well, you're accusing us based on your snap judgement so why can't I do that to you?" Nana demanded and pointed a finger at the king, "The king is right there and last time I checked this was his palace and his kingdom. As soon as he comes in, what do you do? You yell at him and try to undermine his authority. Which means you have a history of doing so. I think you and that seahorse guy have a conspiracy going on to overthrow the king so I think  _you_  should be apprehended and  _you_  should be investigated."

Even the Straw Hats were staring at her in surprise.

"Nana," Usopp hissed, "What are you doing?"

Nana shrugged. "Just giving them a taste of what it's like to be falsely accused of something."

She grinned and fitted her goggles over her eyes. "I can fight now."

The catfish regained his composure and he glared at Nana. "Guards! Get them!"

"What the hell, Nana?!" Usopp shouted as the guards started to rush into the bubble, "I thought you had a plan or something."

"Since when do I ever?!" Nana asked incredulously as she knocked them back with her hammer.

"Thunder tempo!" Nami cried as a condensed group of lightning bolts hit a group of guards.

"Wow, you managed to control the size of your cloud now," Nana couldn't help but marvel.

"You think I was just checking the weather the last two years?" Nami said haughtily.

"Yohoho!" Brook laughed as he cut a couple guards down with his sword, "It's good to be fighting alongside you guys again."

Usopp held out his new Black Kabuto and aimed it at the guns in front of him. "If you want a fight, we can fight you for as long as you want...but you can't arrest us now for things we haven't done," he said with a smirk.

"See?!" the catfish minister huffed, "That's an indication that you do plan on destroying this island. Madame Sharley's premonition was right!"

"Yeah, right!" Usopp scoffed, "If you guys didn't start it, we wouldn't have to fight back in the first place."

"He's right," King Neptune growled with a nod.

"So what do you think?" Nana demanded at the king.

"I think...I need some more time to think-jamon!" King Neptune said, "Thus I'll need you to be in custody for the time being!"

He lifted his golden trident and began to twirl it around his head.

"Nana! Block it! Freeze it or something!" Usopp shouted.

"Magnetic energy doesn't go through water," Nana growled through gritted teeth, "I can only wait for it to come inside the bubble."

"But the bubble will pop!" Usopp shrieked.

"You don't think I know that?!" Nana yelled just as King Neptune thrusted his trident forward.

"Take...this!" he roared.

_Shing! Thwack!_

Nana's eyes widened as Zoro leapt out of nowhere and stopped the trident with his swords. He flung the trident back and landed inside the bubble in front of his nakama.

"ZORO?!" the Straw Hats gasped.

"I thought they caught you!" Usopp cried.

"I heard the sound of this festival," the swordsman grunted and Nana could hear the menacing grin on his face, "So I let myself out."

"Surrender with good grace-jamon, Zori!" the king called out to the swordsman.

"It's Zoro!" the Straw Hats snapped back.

The sounds of more guards coming towards them echoed through the hall. Nana turned and saw that the seahorse minister was leading the way. "Rupture the bubble!" he ordered, "it's better for us to fight them in the water."

"Shit," Nana grunted.

"Ah, seems like our back is against the wall," Brook said solemnly.

The bubble around them began to expand without any warning. It grew past the guards, past the king, past the two ministers, and began to coat the walls and windows. It pushed out all the water and increased the Straw Hats' battlefield.

"Sorry!" Nami voice called from the other end of the room, "I just found a gigantic Bubbly Coral."

They all turned and gaped at the coral that was the size of Franky. "That really  _is_  gigantic!" Usopp screeched.

"Now…" Zoro growled, "Let's continue where we left off."

* * *

The fight had taken a turn and Nana wasn't sure when that exactly happened. It went from the Straw Hats fighting for a way to escape to the Straw Hats fighting to incapacitate the guards, minister, and even the king itself. They caught a lucky break when the king sprained his back. Nana looked around her at the mix of bodies that were all bounded by ropes and chains.

"No matter how I look at it, this is overkill," Nana muttered.

"You're the one to talk! You're the one who started chaining people!" Usopp snapped.

"Yeah...with their OWN chains!" Nana said exasperatedly and waved her gloved hand in front of his long nose, "It's not my fault they got attracted to my glove!"

Zoro looked over at her. "Nana, what the hell happened to your voice? It sounds like you swallowed sand."

"Salt water, you idiot," Nana snapped, "And this is mostly your fault. You went the most overboard with your attacks."

"This was a fight that you guys started," Zoro shouted, "And what do you mean  _I_ went overboard? Don't think I didn't see you use that stupid buzzsaw on someone. You could've just hit them with a plain hammer."

"Yeah? Which eye did you see that happen?" Nana hissed and pointed at his scar, "That one?"

"Both of you are to blame for this!" Usopp seethed, "You guys didn't have to go all out with these guys. We could've just intimidated them and ran!"

"What's done is done," Zoro grunted, "So stop complaining."

"'What's done is done'?!" Usopp sputtered, "Stopping by the Fishman Island and occupying the palace? What are we evil pirates? What's next? Hostages?!"

"What was the alternative?" Zoro yelled, "Just sit back and let us be captured?!"

"I told you to wait for a chance run. I said it to you many times!" Usopp snapped.

Nana pulled her scarf over her mouth and took a deep calming breath. Then she rubbed her two hands before clunking the two men's heads together.

"What the hell was that for, Nana?!," they shouted.

"You're too loud," Nana muttered through her scarf.

"Hey, everybody! When you're sad, let's sing and be happy!" Brook declared as he pulled out an electric guitar and began to strum it, "Come on! It's going to be alright!"

Nana socked him in the jaw. "You're too loud too," she grumbled.

"In any case, we can't stay on this island," Zoro said, "Where's the Sunny? Let's bring everybody together and sail out soon."

"It needs to be coated again," Usopp pointed out.

"And the Log Pose isn't working at all," Nami said as she lifted her wrist, "It has been unstable since we got here."

The catfish minister scoffed. "You ignorant pirates. That Log Pose isn't good enough for the New World. It's not going to get you anywhere."

"What do you mean?" Nami asked.

"I'll tell you if you untie me," he said.

Nana smacked his top hat right off his head. "I'm already pissed off for being falsely accused... _twice_...so don't push me or else I'm going to build a grill right here on the spot and know what a barbecued merman smells," she said as she pushed down her scarf with one finger.

He gulped and was about to say something when he was interrupted by a transponder snail.

_Ding dong._

"Shit," Nana mumbled as she walked over to Usopp, "That's the front gate…"

"It must be the princes!" the seahorse minister shouted.

_Ding dong._

"Nobody answer it!" Usopp shrieked.

_Ding dong._

"Hello? Who is it?"

Usopp's eyes bugged out at the swordsman. "WHAT DID I JUST SAY?!"

Nana and Nami both shared a look of frustration at Zoro, who held the transponder snail in his hands.

"Prince Fukaboshi! Help us!" the two ministers shouted from the back.

"Shut up, all of you!" Zoro growled, "I'm on the phone."

"No one told you to pick it up!" Usopp cried.

"Prince Fukoboshi! Prince Ryuboshi! Prince Manboshi!" the guards shouted.

Nana gritted her teeth and swept her hammer through the group. "Hammerang."

_Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!_

All the guards, who were conscious and seated up, fell to the ground unconscious.

Usopp quickly held Nana's arms back. "EEEK! Stop it! You're just making it worse!"

"It's me, Fukaboshi. What is going on in there?" came a deep voice from the transponder snail. Nana recognized it as the polite prince that they had seen at the cove, "Lower the gate now and let us in."

"I can't do that," Zoro said bluntly.

"Wait a second!" Nami protested, "Why not? Just tell them what happened."

Nana pulled down her scarf and looked exasperatedly at the navigator. "Are you kidding? Like they're going to see this and hear us out."

"We'll just explain that you and Zoro just went overboard and we don't mean anyone any harm," Nami snapped back.

"Zoro? As in 'Pirate Hunter' Zoro? The swordsman for the Straw Hats?" Fukoboshi asked.

Nana rolled her eyes. "Thanks, Nami. Way to sell out your friends."

"It's true," Nami huffed.

"Yes! It's their swordsman! Zori!" King Neptune confirmed to his son.

"Zoro!" Nami and Nana shot back, not really caring at this point whether or not the princes knew who they were.

"Is that Father? You guys have my father?!" Fukoboshi demanded.

"Ah," Zoro said, "Like you just heard, we have Neptune and many other hostages. If you don't want me to kill them, prepare for us to set sail. We need our ship Sunny with a fresh coating on. We don't know where it is so go find it on your own. We also need the rest of our crew - a gloomy woman, a robot, a dog, a raccoon, and a dirty water imp."

"And one billion bellis," Nami added.

"Do any of you guys understand the situation we're putting ourselves in right now?!" Usopp shrieked.

"Yohohoho," Brook laughed, "Dirty water imp. That's a good one, Zoro-san."

Fukoboshi sighed on the other end. "Okay. I'll make an arrangement for you to leave this country immediately with all of your friends. However, I want all the hostages alive."

"That's fine," Zoro agreed.

"There is one more thing, Zoro-kun. Normally I wouldn't tell you this under these circumstances but I cannot ignore my duty to Jimbei," Fukoboshi said.

Immediately, Nana pushed Zoro out of the way, knocking him onto his feet, and she grabbed the snail. "Jimbei? What about him? Is he here?!"

"I have two messages from the former Warlord, 'First Son of the Sea' Jimbei to 'Straw Hat' Luffy," Fukoboshi said.

"Luffy is not here but I'll relay the message," Nana replied.

"First, he says to not fight against Hordy," Fukoboshi said, "Second, he'll be waiting at the Sea Forest. That's all."

"Thank you for telling us this message," Nana said with a relieved smile, "Luffy will be very happy to see Jimbei again...As will I."

"H-H-How do you know Boss Jimbei?!" the minister demanded as Nana handed the snail back to a very disgruntled looking swordsman.

"None of your goddamn business," she rasped as she tied her scarf around her neck.

"The newspaper did say he was at the War of the Best with Luffy-san," Brook replied, "And then was seen again when you and Luffy-san came back to pay tribute to Ace-san."

Nana nodded at the skeleton but remained silent. It was a story that needed to be told...but not right now during their first hostage takeover.


	65. Attack on the Palace

The whole palace shook slightly and Nana could hear a slew of booming sounds coming from a distant corner. She tilted her head curiously and closed her eyes to get a better listen.

"What's this noise-jamon?" the king gasped, "Don't tell me it's Decken again!"

 _Vander Decken? The child predator?,_ Nana thought to herself.

"Are there any guards at the Hard Shell Tower?! Is the princess protected?!" the king demanded.

"No, they're all tied up here," one of the guards replied nervously.

"What?!" the king shouted, "Oy! Pirates! Go see if the princess is okay!"

Zoro looked over his shoulder and shot an annoyed glance at the group. "Huh? What are you talking about?"

"Your Highness!" one of the ministers protested, "We can't send them to the princess!"

"We have no choice-jamon!" the king insisted, "The Hard Shell Tower is on the northeast side of the palace. You guys, go there now!"

"Why are we being ordered around by our hostages?" Zoro demanded.

"Silence! Shirahoshi is my only daughter-jamon! If something happens to her, I'll shove you all off the end of an ocean trench."

"So she is the Mermaid Princess?!" Brook called out excitedly, "Ah! I'll go there as soon as possible and...can I ask her to show me her pants?"

"Ah! He's heading there with lascivious intent!" the catfish minister exclaimed.

"You can't go," Nana snapped, "This entire palace is covered in sea water outside, remember?"

"Oh there are some hallways that have the water drained and it will lead you to the princess," the seahorse minister explained.

"Well then," Nana said a she grabbed him by the neck and threw him into Brook's arms, "Go with him and show him the way."

"Yes! Let's go look at the princess' pants together!" Brook laughed as he scurried out of the room, "Sanji-san, excuse me for seeing her first!"

Nana turned to King Neptune. "That booming noise...those are heavy things being slammed into hard steel. What exactly is Vander Decken sending to your daughter? Pappagu mentioned that they were death threats."

King Neptune eyed the mechanic. "So you know?" he sighed, "Decken has the power to throw any projectile at targets he has designated, which has been the princess for the last 10 years. It started from letters to presents and now...they're actual weapons. She hasn't been able to leave the Hard Shell Tower for years as that is the only place in this palace with the doors and walls thick enough to stop his attacks. He is obsessed with her."

Nana closed her eyes and focused on the sounds. "It doesn't even sound like metal on metal though...It's softer...it's…" Her eyes widened, "It's bodies! Decken is throwing bodies?!"

"EEK!" Usopp shrieked, "How the hell can you tell by the sound?!"

Nana waved a hand over the scars around her body. "Cause that's the sound I make when I get shot into a wall."

Usopp slapped a hand over his eyes. "Why do you say it like that's normal behavior?!" he sighed.

"Oy, Nana," Zoro called over to her as he flicked his swords up from its scabbards, "Do you feel it too?"

Nana nodded and held her hammer in front of her. Usopp glanced between the two's stern faces and he started to sweat. "F-F-F-F-Feel what?"

"A bunch of wild animals have just been set loose," Zoro said with a smirk and fitted his sword into his mouth.

Nana turned to face the front door of the palace and she narrowed her eyes. "And they're heading our way," she finished.

Soul King and the minister in his arms came bursting through the front door. "Ahhhh! King Neptune!" the minister cried, "The princess has been kidnapped and we're being raided!"

"Pirates are falling like rain at the tower! We're being attacked!" Brook added as he ran behind Nana and Zoro.

"AHHHHH!" Usopp shrieked, "Why now?! We're occupying the palace ourselves. What should we do?! WAIT NO! DON'T ANSWER THAT."

"Cut them," Zoro said unmoving from his attack stance.

"Pound them," Nana added as she began to tap her hammer against the palm of her hand in anticipation.

"I said don't answer that!" Usopp wailed.

A flood of injured and exhausted human pirates started to make their way into the room. They all had their weapons raised and a look of desperation on their faces.

"In order for us to survive," a man at the front of the group gasped, "We have to open the gate any cost. CHARGE!"

They rushed forward as Nana and Zoro unleashed their weapons. Begrudgingly, Usopp and Brook got into the fight as well when the humans started to go after them, while Nami stood protectively in front of Camie and Pappagu.

"Why do we always get involved in trouble?" Nami sighed.

"Stop whining, Nami. The battle already started," Zoro scoffed as he cut through a group, "It's not our fault they keep attacking us."

"Shut up, Zoro!" Usopp shot back as he unleashed an explosive, "We don't wanna get ourselves into more trouble than we already have!"

Nana knocked a throng of attackers back and then raised an eyebrow at the sniper. "We're pirates fighting other pirates. There's no crime. Besides, doesn't this count as us helping the palace?"

"Ugh, there's no use talking to you two," Usopp griped and he turned his attention at the injured pirates, "Guys, you're barely clinging to life. Why do you want to fight so badly? Can't we settle this peacefully?"

"If we don't open the switch to the gate...they'll kill us," one of the pirates wheezed, "So...we'll have to kill you!"

"KILL THEM!" the pirates roared and rushed forward.

Nana sighed and pulled her scarf up so that it covered both her mouth and nose. She reached into her pouch. "Nana Special. Compact Smoke Cannon!"

_Boom! Boom!_

Two mini cannonballs shot forward and exploded into the group of pirates. A dark cloud of smoke shrouded over the group. She rushed into the smoke as the other pirates coughed and gasped. By the time the smoke cleared, the pirates caught in her attack were lying unconscious on the floor.

"Not bad," Zoro mused as he ran past her to slice through another group.

"Stop encouraging each other!" Usopp yelled. He ducked out of the way of an incoming sword and shot a gunpowder ball into the attacker's face.

"Yohoho. They really are leaving us with no choice," Brook said genially as he sheathed his sword with a group of pirates falling behind him.

When it seemed the final pirate was taken out, Nana slumped her shoulders and placed her hammer on her back. Even though each pirate didn't put up much of a fight, there was still a lot of them and Nana was beginning to feel tired.

"They seem to really enjoy hurting people," one of the ministers muttered with disdain, "Especially the swordsman."

"OY! Don't accuse me of cutting them just because I like it," Zoro snapped, "I am not a monster."

"But you looked like you were enjoying it. You're a natural born manslayer," the catfish minister said.

"What would you prefer I do?" Zoro seethed, "Serve them tea?!"

Nana pushed the swordsman away from the minister. "Ignore him. I think he enjoys riling people up for no good reason."

"What?!" the minister sputtered, "How dare you! I was merely trying to say that you guys went too far! Now we won't be able to find out what they wanted!"

Nana shrugged. "Well, it's not like they can get it now."

"Why?" Nami cried depressingly as she sank to the floor next to Usopp, "Why does our crew always end up doing stupid things like this?"

"Well, look at our captain," Usopp sighed.

_Thud!_

The king fell hard on his side and his tears started to fall sideways down to the floor. "Shirahoshi-jamon," he weeped, "Give her back!"

"Why do you think we have the Mermaid Princess?" Usopp demanded.

"I know Straw Hat Luffy did it-jamon," the king insisted.

"Well," Brook mused, "I did see Luffy-san and Shark-san come out of the tower...but the Mermaid Princess wasn't with them."

"But she's not the kind of girl who just sneaks out on her own-jamon," the king sniffled, "Shirahoshi is as big as myself-jamon. Someone will notice her if she gets out."

Nana's eyes widened. "As big...as you?"

She tried to picture a mermaid as big as the king but all her mind brought up was the image of a giant Granny Kokoro, stomping through the city with a large bottle of wine in hand.  _Scary._

"Oh! Maybe he hid Shirahoshi in Megalo's mouth!" the king theorized.

The guards immediately started to laugh. "Stop making us laugh under these circumstances, Your Highness," one of the guards said, "Only a hopeless idiot would be dumb enough to try that."

Nana's eyes caught Usopp and a bead of sweat fell down their heads.  _It does sound like something Luffy would do…but why kidnap the princess?_

The sound of gears whirring and clicking into place made Nana turn towards the front door. "What was that?" she demanded.

"What?" Usopp asked.

Nana closed her eyes.  _I'm missing something...What? Think...The pirates...what did they come here for?_

Nana's eyes snapped open. "Where's the switch to the gate?!" she demanded to the minister.

The catfish minister scoffed. "Like I'd tell you. You guys will just try to escape."

"Don't you get it?" Nana hissed, "We're not trying to get out. Someone's trying to get in!"

A stampede of footsteps began to ring out through the hallways and soon an army of Fishmen came storming into the hall. They were being led by a muscular shark Fishman, holding a red trident, and a man that Nana recognized as Vander Decken from his wanted poster.

"No more...No more!" Usopp shrieked as he grabbed the sides of his hat.

Nana pulled her scarf back over her mouth and reached into her pouch.

"The hateful Vander Decken. You've shown up at last!" the catfish minister seethed.

"And the other guy...that's Hordy Jones! He was once a decorated soldier in our army," the seahorse minister said.

"Hordy...that's the one Jimbei told us not to fight," Nana said.

"We've had one visitors after another," Zoro sighed, "What a lively palace."

"Vander Decken!" the king roared with fury, "Since you've shown up, there is no doubt! You're the one who did it. Give me back my daughter!"

Vander Decken laughed in a way that creeped Nana down to her bones. "We haven't even gotten married yet. It's too soon for you to say that, Father-sama."

"Don't call me Father-sama!" the king snapped, "Where did you take Shirahoshi? You'd better tell me she's unharmed!"

"What are you talking about?" Vander Decken asked, "You're talking like the Princess is missing."

"Quit acting dumb! Why else would Shirahoshi have disappeared from her room?!" the king demanded.

Vander Decken's jaw dropped. "M-M-My Shirahoshi disappeared?!"

"She's not your Shirahoshi! She's my daughter-jamon!"

_Thwack!_

The sharkman, known as Hordy Jones, hit the bottom of his trident hard on the coral floor and all eyes turned to him. He grinned viciously, showing rows and rows of his sharp teeth. "Calm down, Decken," he said smoothly, "There's an easy way for you to check where she is, isn't there?"

"Oh! You're right. Hordy, you're a very smart guy," Vander Decken replied as he ran out of the door and encased himself in a bubble from a Bubbly Coral.

"Ah! He left! That bastard," Nana shouted. She took a step towards him but then realized that there was no way she could follow him into the water.

"Wahhhhh!" the king bursted into tears, drenching the guards below him, "I beg you-jamon. I'll give you anything you want. Please let me go after Decken! You can take silver, gold, or even my soldier lives! He's going to catch Shirahoshi!"

"How pathetic, Neptune," Hordy sneered, "But this is an interesting turn of events. I never thought that the hateful Straw Hats would help us conquer the Ryugu Palace."

 _Hateful?_ , Nana thought with a frown,  _What the hell did we ever do to him?_

"Jimbei told me there was something going on in the Fishman District. I can't beleive you, a former proud soldier of Neptune's army, are the ringleader! Shame on you, Hordy!" the seahorse minister yelled.

"Shame?" Hordy scoffed, "I'd feel shame if I had felt any real pride to be in Neptune's army. The only reason I joined the army was to learn fighting skills in actual combat. That's all. I became stronger thanks to you. You all have failed to notice what's been going on in this island."

"And in the palace too," Nana muttered, "Trying to capture us while there are criminals like him running about."

"Not the time to voice your opinion, Nana," Usopp hissed as he jabbed her with his elbow.

Hordy glared at the king, unaware of Nana's utterance. "Since I was a kid, I've seen Fishmen oppressed at the hands of irrational humans. I admired Arlong's ambition to take the arrogance out of them. We're going to restore his dreams! We're the New Fishman Pirates."

Nami let out a terrified gasp and Nana looked over at Nami. "The Fishmen...that took over your home?" she asked.

Nami nodded solemnly back. Nana gripped her hammer tighter and took one step closer to the navigator.

"I was training myself to become Arlong's right-hand man one day," Hordy continued, "When he set out to conquer the world from the East Blue. Unfortunately, he was stopped by some humans."

Hordy walked over to the doorframe of the hall and dug his fingers into it. "Enough chit chat. Let's get down to business. Shark Grip!"

A powerful force surged through his hand and the wall began to crack and break. The cracks stretched through the pillars and up to the ceiling.

"Nami," Nana whispered, "You still have the compact to track Franky, right?"

"Ah," Nami said.

"Good," Nana replied, "Because when you see him, can you tell him to bring some wax?"

"Wax?"

Nana nodded solemnly, with her eyes fixed on Hordy, "He'll know what it means."

"Okay," Nami nodded and looked over at Camie, "Camie, can you do me a favor?"

The ground started to shake beneath their feet and sea water began to pour in through the cracks.

"Oh! this is no good!" Brook shrieked as he leapt onto Usopp's back, "Especially for me! I'm going to drown!"

Hordy let out a menacing laugh. He swept his hand across the water and it began to drip down his hands. Nana narrowed her eyes.

The Fishmen around him took a step back. "Get down!" they gasped, "He's going to do it."

"It?" Nana muttered as she turned the dial on her wrist.

Hordy threw his arm back with his vicious grin still on his face. "Shark Arrows!"

He flung the water drops towards the group and they condensed into sharp thin arrows. They pierced through the group of guards. Zoro blocked the ones coming at him with just the hilt of his sword as Nana ducked out the way and slid in front of Usopp and Brook. "Nana Special. Water Repel!"

She raised her hand and the arrows stopped right in front of her gloved hand and shot back the other way. It pierced the Fishmen standing behind Hordy. Nana's heart pounded and she coughed up blood into her scarf.  _Damn it. Camie washed off more coating than I thought._

"Whew! Saved," Usopp sighed as he and Brook hunched behind Nana, "Nana! He's shooting at the unarmed. Can you expand the magnetic shield to cover the guards?"

Nana shook her head and gritted her teeth. "I'm limited right now."

"AHHHH!" King Neptune yelled as he bent over so that his back covered his guards, "You bastard! How dare you shoot at my soldiers at random!"

"King Neptune! You shouldn't!" the guards gasped.

"You are all my subjects-jamon. I will protect you!" the king insisted.

Hordy's eyes narrowed at Nana as she continued to repel his arrows, flinging them into his own men. "You think you can stop me with your parlor tricks, you stupid human?"

"One Sword Style," Zoro said as he stepped forward towards Hordy and drew his sword, "Bird Dance!"

A flying slash attack flew towards Hordy. The shark unhesitantly pulled a nearby Fishman in front of him and used the Fishman as a shield. Nana's eyes widened. She lowered her glove and turned it off. "He...sacrificed his own man?"

"He's worse than Arlong," Usopp gasped.

"Don't just stand there," Zoro grunted, "Go untie the men. The negotiation with the kingdom has broken down. We couldn't keep our word to give them back all the hostages unharmed."

Nana and Usopp immediately set off to free the men. The sniper's sharp turn aused Brook to fall into the water. "Ah! I'm going to drown. Nami-san, help! Wait...where is Nami-san?"

"She left with Camie," Nana replied as she jumped over a useless Pappagu, who was just floating in the water.

"What?!" Usopp shrieked.

"Someone had to leave and go tell the others!" Nana snapped as she untied a group of guards.

"Then why couldn't it have been me?" Usopp cried.

"Because you wouldn't know how to find Franky," Nana said as she moved to the ministers, purposefully taking her time with the binds around the catfish.

"Untie the others and take up your arms!" one of the guards ordered.

"Destroy all of the Neptune's army and the Straw Hats!" Hordy yelled.

The sea water was rising rapidly and it was already at Nana's waist.

"I can't fight...in this water. I feel so weak," Brook gasped weakly.

"I can give you all three minutes," Nana replied as she turned the dial, "Got it, Zoro? You have three minutes. MAX!"

"Ah," Zoro nodded and swiftly cut the chains off of the king.

"Nana, what are you going to do?" Usopp asked.

"We're all at a disadvantage with the water so let me even the odds," Nana said and she raised her hands out on both sides, "Nana Special! Sea Part."

The magnetic force surged out of her hand and separated the waters, exposing the middle section of the floor that led all the way to the front door. The water was pushed, creating waves that crashed against the walls of the hall. The Fishmen all gaped at Nana, who stood with her arms wide. Her scarf was wrapped tightly around her nose and mouth so that it hid and absorbed all the blood she was beginning to vomit out.

"WHOAHHHHHHH!" Pappagu, Brook, and Usopp shrieked while Zoro launched forward.

"Idiot! Didn't you guys hear Nana? We only have three minutes to take them all out," Zoro shouted.

"Yohohoho! Thank you, Nana-san!" Brook laughed as he scrambled to fight alongside Zoro.

"What...what devil fruit power do you have?" the catfish minister gasped.

Nana coughed and smirked against her blood soaked scarf. "I'm not a power user...I'm just a mechanic."

"You're just delaying the inevitable!" Hordy exclaimed as he shot out another wave of arrows. Nana dodged it easily with her Observation Haki and kept her focus on her gloves.

Zoro launched another attack on the shark, who swiftly sidestepped out of the way. "You're opponent is me!" Zoro growled.

Some of the Fishmen around Hordy leapt into the parted waters and swam towards them for a side attack. Immediately, a handful of royal guards surrounded Nana. She looked at them in surprise. "Our priority is to take down Hordy and protect the king," the guards commanded, "So we will support you pirates for now as it seems we have a common goal."

Nana said nothing back. It was getting harder and harder for her to focus. She had practically stuffed her scarf in her mouth and the blood was starting to drip on the floor.  _Two more minutes._

"Drop dead you lowly creature!" Hordy shouted, charging towards the swordsman.

"One Sword Style," Zoro growled, "Lion Strike!"

Nana couldn't tell if it was because Zoro was just that fast or because she couldn't quite pay that close of attention but she didn't even see the swordsman's attack. All she saw was him putting his Shusui back into its scabbard as Hordy fell forward with a deep cut in his chest.

"H-H-He cut the boss?!" a Fishman shrieked.

"Don't be afraid. They're all just humans and the guards are already pretty beat! Let's take the energy steroid!" another Fishman commanded.

"Energy steroid?" Nana coughed as her body began to tremble. The water from the sides began to waver as Nana fell to her knees. Some of it sloshed to the side and spilled over onto the floor.  _Shit...I might not be able to hold it as much as I thought._

"Ah! Water!" Brook yelped as he hopped from one leg to another to avoid being drenched, "Nana-san! Are you okay?"

The Fishmen's eyes turned red and their muscles began to bulge. Usopp fired another one of his vine plants that ensnared the Fishmen but they tore through the leaves as if they were made of paper. "EEP! How did they suddenly get super human strength?"

_Shing! Shing!_

A group of Fishmen had put Zoro on the defense as they swung their spears and swords at them.

"Enough, female pirate!" King Neptune roared, "You're already at your limit. Let the water come."

"I can't," Nana gasped, "We'll all be dead if-"

"Leave it to me! Listen, soldiers!" King Neptune commanded, "I can't fight at full power, so you'd all be sacrificing your lives for nothing. We shall give up the palace for now and meet up with my sons. We'll wait for our chance to fight back."

"You think it'll be that easy?" Hordy snarled as he shot another wave of shark arrows at them.

"Shut up!" Nana seethed as she shot her hands forward so that the water rushed back down but her magnetic gloves deflected the arrows into the water.

The water swelled up and over her head. She quickly turned off her gloves but then lost control of her breath. Nana began to panic and she thrashed around the water but only managed to sink herself further.  _Shit!_   _Shit! Shit!_

A strong arm wrapped around her waist and someone pulled up her to the surface. She hacked violently and ripped her scarf off her face. She turned to her rescuer and was met with his one eyed glare. "Zoro…" she gasped.

"Idiot! At least warn us before you bring the water back in!" Zoro snapped.

"Zoro! Nana!" Usopp cried as he clung to Brook with one hand and the king's beard with another, "AH! What's with all that blood?"

Nana looked down and noticed that the blood that soaked into her scarf was starting to seep into the water. "Side effect," she grunted, "But I'll be fine."

Zoro scowled. "Oy. What's Curly Brow going to think when he sees you-"

"Since when do you care what Sanji thinks?!" Nana retorted.

"Come! Hang onto me-jamon!" King Neptune commanded and Zoro dragged Nana over to his beard. They held onto one side while Usopp and Brook clung to the other. King Neptune flung a Bubbly Coral to Usopp, "Take this. Secure some air-jamon."

Usopp caught it and quickly blew a bubble around him and Brook's head. "Thanks!"

The sniper tossed it to Zoro just as the king dove into the water. The bubbly coral slipped through Zoro's fingers and Nana's eyes widened. Water was about to seep back into her nose when Zoro pinched it hard with his free hand. He glared at her sternly as if to say "Don't lose your shit". Nana nodded and kept her eyes locked with his. She focused only on his scowling face and not at the water. She wrapped her hands around the beard for an extra hold just in case.

"Merman Combat!" King Neptune cried as he grabbed the water as if they were folds of fabric, "Here we go! Ultramarine"

A ferocious whirlpool sprouted out from his hands and shot the Fishmen out of the grand hall, including his own guards. "All soldiers, go!" King Neptune shouted, "Ride the current and escape!"

The king winced and arched backwards. "Ow. My back…" he gasped, "I hate getting old. I can't even move a millimeter right now."

"WHAT?!" Usopp shrieked.

"This is the end-jamon," the king whispered.

Suddenly, the king's pet whale, Hoe, swam in from the back of the room. He had a rope tied around his body and the king quickly grabbed on with one hand. The whale pulled his master and the Straw Hats towards the door.

"Go!" Usopp shouted.

Nana was running out of breath and she felt like her lungs couldn't decide whether to explode or collapse. Zoro didn't look much better either.  _Come on. Come on._

The whale jerked to a stop and Nana instinctively pulled her head back from Zoro's hold. Sea water rushed up her nose and down her throat. She let go of the king and clamped her hands over her mouth.

"Ah! That Hordy guy grabbed onto the king!" Usopp shrieked.

The king let go of the whale, who swam forward without him. "Don't turn back-jamon! You have to keep going and get Fukaboshi and the others!" the king ordered.

Nana's whole body convulsed in pain as she began to drown...again.


	66. The Sea Forest

"Ohhhh! This is beautiful!" Luffy exclaimed excitedly as Megalo carried him, Shirahoshi, Chopper, a physically wounded Hatchi, and an emotionally-injured Sanji, with his tie bound firmly around his eyes. They sailed over the underwater forest where trees grew as plentiful as the coral, "So this is the Sea Forest."

"I always wanted to come here," the large and beautiful Mermaid Princess breathed daintily.

"You should see this, Sanji!" Chopper said enthusiastically. He gave a nudge to Sanji, "Look at how pretty everything is."

" _Pretty_?" Sanji moaned. His head was hung in shame and buried in his hands. He pressed his disheveled tie firmly against his eyelids. "I don't deserve to be in the presence of pure beauty let alone be able to admire something that is 'pretty'."

"Oy, Sanji, what's gotten into you?" Luffy asked with a curious frown, "You didn't even look at Coward when we found you guys and I thought you'd be excited to finally see the Mermaid Princess."

The rubber man stretched his arm over towards the cook's tie. "Here. Take this off and-"

"NO!" Sanji cried and jerked away from Luffy's hands, "I don't deserve to see...I don't deserve to enjoy  _anything_  when I know somewhere out there Nana is hating me!" he sobbed.

"I don't know if it's the blood donors," Chopper sighed, "But Sanji has gotten very emotional ever since he got back up on his feet."

"I can't believe I'm here...Thank you, Luffy-san," Shirahoshi sniffled tearfully.

Luffy frowned at Sanji and then turned back to the princess. "What is up with this island? Everyone's just turning into cry babies."

"Shut up!" Sanji snapped, 'You don't understand, Luffy! Nana's very upset because I-"

Luffy picked his nose. "Because you were close to dying and she couldn't help. Just like when she found me at Marineford. I know."

Sanji blinked at him. "I was going to say because I was an idiot…but...what did you say?"

"That's what Nana told Nami and Usopp," Luffy said with a shrug, "I only heard a bit of it and then got bored but that was the part I heard."

"I told you, Sanji," Chopper said, "You scared us. Nana, most of all."

"Oh hey!" Luffy shouted excitedly as he pointed down on the sea floor, "I see the Sunny!"

Chopper leaned over to see and he smiled. "And Franky!"

"Oy, Franky! I didn't know you were here!" Luffy called down as Megalo began to swim down towards the ship.

Franky lifted his sunglasses and gaped at the incoming crew. "Luffy?! What the hell?! You're with quite a pin-up girl!" he said when his eyes fell on the pink haired royal mermaid.

"Let me introduce you guys," Luffy said as he leapt down from the shark and flung an arm towards the Mermaid Princess, "This is Coward."

Franky smiled. "I see. So you're Coward. That means you have to get tougher, don't you, Sis?"

"Yes, I'm sorry. My name is Shirahoshi," the Mermaid Princess breathed.

"She's like the super opposite of the brat, don't you think?" Franky asked, glancing over at Sanji. He tilted his head to the side when he saw Sanji's blinded state. "What's up with him?"

"Er…I'm not too sure," Chopper called down from the top of Megalo, "But Nana gave him back his necklace. Can you give me a hand with Hatchi?"

"What?! What happened between Sanji and the brat? And what's the octopus guy doing here?" Franky asked as Chopper dropped Hatchi into his metal arms.

"Shirahoshi?! Hatchi?! What are you two doing here?" a booming voice shouted, followed by the sounds of wooden sandals clip clopping on the ground.

"Ah, Jimbei!" Luffy called out excitedly as the Fishman ran over to them, "I didn't know you were here."

"Boss Jimbei-sama!" Shirahoshi said in surprise.

"They said you weren't here so I thought I couldn't meet you," Luffy laughed.

"Oh, I thought you came here because you got my message," Jimbei said with a frown, "But it's been a long time. I almost didn't recognize you. You look stronger."

"It's so noisy. What's going on here?" an old man in a pointed goatee and floppy hat asked from the deck of the Sunny as Pygmy scurried next to him, "Is that Princess Shirahoshi?!"

"Oy! Who the hell are you?" Luffy demanded, "Why are you on the board of the Sunny?!"

"Oh, that's Den-chan, brother of Tom. My shipwright master," Franky explained as he walked over to his captain, "He's going to help us coat the Sunny."

"Oh, I see," Luffy said with a grin, "He's a shipwright who's coating your brother."

"Yep! Close enough," Franky said with a thumbs up and then he frowned, "I was kind of hoping to introduce him to the brat. I know she'd want to see him. Was she with you guys?"

"She was," Luffy nodded, "But she's back at the palace with Zoro and them."

A sob escaped Sanji's lips. He should've been with her. They could've been enjoying a royal feast together. Now she's doing it with that shitty swordsman.

"If you don't mind," Shirahoshi interjected softly, "I would like to go pay respects to my mother…"

Jimbei's eyes widened as he hurried over to the princess' side. "Is that why you are here, Shirahoshi-sama? Here let me take you!"

"I'll come with you," Luffy shouted, "Otherwise that stupid Deck person might throw something at her again."

"Vander Decken? You ran into him?" Jimbei asked.

Luffy nodded, "I beat him too but he just won't stop throwing axes at us."

Franky watched as the Fishman, Mermaid Princess, and his captain walked away from the Sunny and he went over to the sullen cook, who had slid off of Megalo and onto the ground with surprising grace for someone who couldn't see. "Did the brat freak out over mermaids again?"

"Franky!" Sanji bawled as he sank to his knees and hung his head in shame to the cyborg, "You entrusted me with Nana and look what I've done. You must never forgive me. You must never acknowledge me as your brother!

Franky folded his arms over his chest but kept a grin on his face. "So the brat gave you the necklace back, eh? You must've done something to really scare her again."

Sanji's head snapped up. "Why do you say that?"

"Do you remember when we first arrived at Sabaody and Hatchi made us promise not to interfere with the Celestial Dragons? And the brat refused?" Franky asked.

Sanji nodded.

"Well, last week, when we were fixing up the Sunny and waiting for you guys to come back, there were a couple of times where one of us would have to go into town to pick up a few supplies. Whenever I went, the brat would make me promise the same thing Hatchi did," Franky said, "She brought it up. Not me...The brat...She's more cautious now. If it was anyone else, I'd just assume they had matured over the last two years but this is the brat we're talking about. She's stubborn as hell and the only thing that could really make her change is if something extreme happened."

"Like witnessing the War of the Best," Sanji said softly, "And seeing your captain near death."

"Ah," Franky nodded, "That would do it."

Sanji took out a cigarette from his pocket and he put it to his lips.  _I really scared the hell out of you, didn't I, Nana?_

Sanji's mind flashed back to the last time Nana had been this angry with him. It was the time when she had thought they had tried to kill Iceberg.  _Nana was the one who found him that time too. Shit. Waiting by the bedside is probably the worst thing to ask Nana to do._

" _Your nosebleed gave away our location, endangering us all, and worst of all, you put your own life at risk. You could've died!"_

Nana's accusation came into his head and he lit his cigarette.  _I'm such an idiot. I spent the last two years trying to become a better man. Now that we're back together, this is how I chose to spend my time?_

He took a deep breath and pulled off his tie but he kept his eyes still closed. He steeled his nerves and boldly turned towards the direction of strong female scents.

"Luffy! Everyone!"

"Luffy-chin!"

Sanji's eyes flew open and he stared solemnly at Nami and Camie riding in on the water bus. He could feel the blood starting to rise to his head.  _Calm yourself, you bastard. Get it together!_

In one hand, he gripped his lighter. In the other, he held Nana's necklace. He took another breath in and turned towards the giant Mermaid Princess.  _This is it! The ultimate test._

Even though she was far away, she was still large enough for him to see her beautiful face, her soft skin, her glorious bosom, and her long, flowing hair. She was like a dream. Blood came rushing up to his head again but he dug his fingers into the palms of his hands.  _Fight it, Sanji! Fight i!_

One drop of blood came out of his nose but that was it. His eyes widened and a relieved grin grew across his face. He wiped it off with the back of his hand and then waved happily towards the navigator and the green-haired mermaid. "Nami-san! Camie-chan! I should prepare some food for them and the Mermaid Princess."

"Oooh!" Franky said as he eyed Sanji up and down, 'You feeling better, bro?"

Sanji gave a hard pat on Franky's back. "Yes, I am. Thanks for your help, Franky."

"Super anytime," Franky smiled while the cook headed for his kitchen.

"WHAT?! Nana is fighting a group of Fishmen at the palace with no one but the shitty morimo, Usopp, and Brook to help?!" Sanji shouted, almost dropping the tray of tea and pastries he had prepared for the ladies, "Oh, this tea was brewed especially for you, Nami-san. Hope it will refresh you from your battle."

"It's good to see you turn back to normal, Sanji-kun," Nami sighed, taking the cup of tea, "I don't know what's happening now but I was planning on going back as soon as I got you guys."

"How did you even know where to find us?" Luffy asked.

Nami pulled out the compact and showed it to Franky. "Nana gave this to me."

"Ow! I super forgot!" Franky said as he pulled out Nana's Vivre Card. His eyes almost popped the lenses from his sunglasses when he saw that a corner had began to burn ever so slightly.

Sanji thrusted the tray of food into Luffy's hands and ran over to Franky. "Is this Nana's Vivre Card?! She's in danger!"

"Luffy-kun. I'm sorry. I left you the message because I didn't want to get you into trouble," Jimbei apologized with a bow to the rubber man, "But I let you get involved already."

"Oy, Jimbei, was it?" Sanji said as he lit a new cigarette, "You better tell us everything so we know what we're up against."

Franky raised an eyebrow at Sanji. "I'd have thought you'd want to race to the palace, save the brat, and ask questions later."

Sanji exhaled a long stream of smoke and shook his head. "No. That'd be something the shitty morimo would do. I'm smarter than that."  _The man Nana_ loves  _is smarter than that._

Jimbei nodded at Sanji, "I'll hurry and explain. Let me just say that two years ago, when I met Luffy-kun, it was harder for me to talk about it than it is now."

Jimbei took a deep breath and turned to Luffy. "I've always been grateful to those people who stopped the Arlong Pirates running wild in the East Blue. That was you guys, wasn't it? I want to express my gratitude...and apology at the same time."

He got down on his knees. "The person who was responsible for setting Arlong loose into the East Blue...was me."

The Straw Hats' eyes widened as Nami instinctively covered her tattooed shoulder with her hand.

"I knew that name sounded familiar," Sanji sighed, "When Luffy and I first heard of the name Jimbei of the Seven Warlords, that's what Yosaku told us...That in exchange for the title of the Warlord, Jimbei set loose a terrible man into the East Blue."

"Oh, he did?" Luffy exclaimed in between loud slurps from a teacup.

"That's not for you, you idiot!" Sanji said with a kick to the rubber man's head, "And I knew you'd not remember. When I read that you and Nana were with Jimbei two years ago in the newspaper, it raised so many questions in my mind. Because I thought Jimbei was the key figure who was pulling Arlong's strings."

He turned to the Warlord. "Jimbei," he warned, "If you wanna make excuses, I'll listen...but you better watch what you say. You see, this beautiful navigator, Nami-san here, had her home island taken over by Arlong...She's been through hell because of it. Depending on what you have to say, I might not forgive you."

Chopper was transfixed by the cook. He was standing so tall and not a hair was out of place now.  _Nana...whatever you said to him...it worked! Maybe you need to say something to Zoro to help him with his directions!_

"Nyu! Jimbei-san, " Hatchi grunted as he tried to sit up but both Chopper and Camie rushed to his side to get him to rest, "He's right. We caused her so much pain that we can't heal. No matter how much we apologize."

"Sounds like you had a terrible experience," Jimbei said solemnly.

"You bastard! Don't distance yourself from it!" Sanji snapped.

"Yes," Nami interrupted. She clenched her fists to the side, "It would never make me change the way I feel about Arlong...But until I went to Sabaody Archipelago two years ago, I never knew how tough humans were persecuting Fishmen. When Camie was kidnapped and I was going after her, I couldn't believe what I saw...The Sabaody Park in front of me looked exactly like the Arlong Park that Arlong had built."

"We were yearning for it. I'm not just saying this to make you forgive me," Hatchi said as he struggled to his knees, "Nami! Arlong-san really didn't like humans. He hated them. I admit we went too far but ever since we were kids, we yearned for the world that humans lived in. Me, Arlong-san, everybody…But...we hurt so many people because of it."

"Fishmen and Merfolk were considered mere fish for a long time," Jimbei explained, "But 200 years ago, the Ryugu Kingdom became a member country of the World Government. The king was even allowed a seat at the World Summit. Despite that, humans kept disliking Fishmen."

Den, Tom-san's brother, leaned over the railing and nodded over at Franky. "The worst time that I experienced was the beginning of the Great Pirate Era. I vividly remember the fear of seeing human pirates running wild on this island. The Fishman Island was taken over by humans."

"And then, the late Whitebeard came and saved us. He claimed the Fishman Island as his own and peace returned to the island," Jimbei continued, "However, it didn't stop humans from disliking Fishmen. I know you guys saw it at Sabaody Archipelago."

The Warlord sighed and folded his arms across his chest. "There are two people that rose up in history who have tried to change the relationship between humans and Fishmen. One was the late Queen Otohime. She kept trying to tell the islanders to live in harmony with humans. She was Princess Shirahoshi's mother. The other is the hero who freed the slaves, Fisher Tiger. He invaded the Holy Land of Marie Jois by himself and freed the slaves. Later he formed the Sun Pirates with the Fishmen who were slaves."

"Sun Pirates?" Sanji asked.

"Yes," Jimbei said. He pulled down his shirt so they could see the sun tattoo that was burned onto his skin, "Me, Hatchi, Arlong...We all joined."

The Straw Hats sat silently as Jimbei explained the struggles of Queen Otohime and Fisher Tiger, who were both trying to help their race in different ways. From the passionate pleas of the Queen and her hopes of petitioning the World Summit to let Fishman Island regain their seat at their table, to Fisher Tiger and his pursuit to free slaves, both humans and Fishmen. Jimbei spoke about his time as a soldier in Neptune's Army to his time as part of the Sun Pirates, leading up to the tragic death of Fisher Tiger and his brutal parting with Arlong.

"The Sun Pirates split into three groups with me, Marco, and Arlong leading each group," Jimbei sighed, "I accepted the title of Warlord so that the former slaves could receive amnesty from the Government and be able to return home. However, I knew that there were many islanders who did not approve of me joining the Warlords."

His story then moved towards Queen Otohime and her efforts to sway the Celestial Dragons to allow the Fishmen to move to the world above. He told the Straw Hats how the petitions grew from a small box of 100,000 signatures to a large crate that held the signatures of practically all 5 million citizens of Fishman Island. It looked like the future of Fishman Island was brightening until the queen's life was cut short by an assassination.

"The queen's dying wish was that we not let our resentment or hatred get the better of us. To not get angry on her behalf," Jimbei finished, "The princes that day promised her that they would protect Shirahoshi and collect all the signatures back. They promised her they would finish what she had started and continue the dream to live under the sun one day."

Jimbei bowed his head towards Nami. "Arlong was like a brother to me and I knew about his history of violence. I would've stopped him if I knew the extent of what he put you and your home through but he had paid off the Navy so we had no idea. Still, I feel responsible."

"Oh yeah?" Sanji snarled, "Then pay with her life and commit harakiri! I still won't forgive you but it could relieve Nami-san of her pain."

"Stop, Sanji-kun," Nami ordered.

"But, Nami-san, what they did to you was-"

Nami held up her hand. "That's a different story. This man didn't mean to hurt us."

"I will take any punishment, if that'll make you happy," Jimbei said.

"Stop!" Nami repeated, "Stop. The one I hate is Arlong. Anyway, I'm glad that you are not the mastermind of the Arlong Pirates. You're Luffy's friend, aren't you? It's true that I've gone through hell because of Arlong but I also met my friends through it. One thing led to another and I am who I am today."

She brushed her hand against her tattoo and smiled at Jimbei. "So don't pity me because of my life. It's not so bad because I'm enjoying the present."

Jimbei's fingers dug into the ground and he began to sob with relief. "I don't deserve such words of kindness," he choked, deeply moved, "Thank you very much."

"Wahhhh!" Franky cried out, ruining the touching moment, "I know how hard it is to be a big brother! You're the man, Jimbei! I love Tiger. I love Otohime!"

"Shut up, you bastard!" Sanji snarled.

_Thump._

The rubber man, who had been sitting silently this whole time, crashed to the ground. His hat rolled off his head and he began to snore.

"WHAT?!" the Straw Hats gasped.

Sanji kicked him hard across the face. "I  _knew_  it was odd for you to be listening so quietly."

Luffy sat back up and rubbed the drool from his mouth. "So what happened with the thief that the queen caught?"

"That was the beginning of the story!" Sanji seethed.

Jimbei wiped the tears from his eyes and got up to his feet. "I took too much time talking. I need to know who is still at the palace now. Hordy and his crew invaded the palace and captured the king and his army. We also don't know what happened to five of your crew members."

"Nana, Brook, Usopp, and the drunk," Sanji counted off on his fingers, "Who is the fifth? Robin-chan?"

"Pappagu!" Camie cried, "He's still back there."

"Oh yeah," Sanji said as he ashed his cigarette, "So who is this Hordy guy?"

"Hordy hates humans more than Arlong-san did. He has been living on the resentment and anger of the Fishmen, and nothing else," Hatchi grunted from the side as Chopper applied medicine to his wounds, "There is something about him clearly different from Arlong-san would look down on humans, but he would never hurt other Fishman...but Hordy would attack those Fishmen who are sympathetic towards humans without mercy. King Neptune is announcing this year his intention to relocate the Fishman Island."

"So he's planning to block it?!" Jimbei asked.

"No...much worse," Hatchi said.

A huge transponder snail, the size of a small rhino, came trudging in between the group.

"That's a Video Transponder Snail!" Den gasped from the railing as the transponder snail began to project onto the bubble for the group to see, "Why is there?"

Hordy's face showed up on the screen. "Everybody on Fishman Island. Can you hear me? I'm the Captain of the New Fishman Pirates, Hordy Jones," he growled., "There is something I want to tell the citizens of Ryuku Kingdom. This country will soon be destroyed and it will be rebuilt under a new king. Me!"

Jimbei's eyes widened.

"The new Fishman Island is going to have a strict new discipline. Those of you who hope for friendly relations with humans, get packing and leave this country," Hordy spat, "Humans are weak and they don't know their place. Instead, we will have new residents from the Fishman District soon. They hate humans and hope to change this island like us."

A vicious grin spread across his face. "I bet you all witnessed your beloved Queen Otohime's death. She was so selfless and tried so hard to build a bridge between Fishmen and humans. In the end, who killed her?! It was a human. If you trust them and meet them halfway in friendship, they'll disappoint you again. Why can't you see it?!"

The camera panned over to show King Neptune in chains. "Look at this," Hordy Jones gloated, "The Great Knight Neptune got old, like everyone else. There is no future for the Fishman Island if the old guard remains in power."

Nami folded her arms and sighed. "Unfortunately, the king was captured because of us...mostly because of Zoro."

"Don't worry, Nami-san," Sanji hurriedly reassured her, "It's all that Moss Head's fault."

"Although," Camie chimed in, "Nana-chin was the one who actually did the chaining."

"I'm sure it was all the shitty morimo's idea, Camie-chan," Sanji smoothly added.

"Don't put this all on Zoro!" Chopper snapped.

"What did you people do?!" Jimbei yelled incredulously at the same time.

"B-B-B-But Boss Jimbei!" Camie protested, "Soldiers of Neptune's army attacked Nami-chin and the others first."

"Citizens of Fishman Island!" Hordy Jones announced, "Three hours from now, at Conchcord Plaza, I will cut the king's head off! The Great Pirate Era began when they executed a human, Gol D. Roger, the King of Pirates. That era also rang in the persecution of Fishmen. So this time, by executing Neptune, I'll start the Great Fishman Era, where Fishmen will dominate humans!"

His eyes narrowed and he held up a piece of paper. "As you guys can probably guess, I'm at the Ryugu Palace and I found something good. It's the letter from the Celestial Dragons that Queen Otohime gave her 10 years ago. If I destroy that letter, it's over. You won't get another one."

The camera then moved to a large crate sitting by his feet. "I also have all the signatures from the majority of this country. I couldn't believe my eyes. There are so many fools who want to befriend the humans. Those of you who have signed this petition would naturally oppose my new country...So these petitions have become my list of traitors!"

He started to list off the names off of the first few papers in his hands.

"That bastard," Jimbei seethed, "He's deliberately trying to cause a panic."

"Stop!" King Neptune called out, "I won't let you hurt my people!"

Hordy Jones scoffed. "We'll see about that."

He then crumpled the papers in his hands and tossed it back into the crate. His eyes narrowed at the camera. "There's something else I want to say. Straw Hat Pirates! I know you're watching so I'll show you something good."

Sanji's cigarette fell out of his lips when the projection cut to Zoro, Usopp, Brook, and Nana. Their arms were chained to their sides and they were all crammed into a cage. What really boiled the cook's blood though was the fact that Nana was pale and unconscious. There was traces of blood around her mouth and chin. Her head was slumped onto Zoro's shoulder.  _No wonder her Vivre Card was burning up._

"Zoro! Usopp! Nana! Brook!" Chopper screamed.

"I can't believe they got caught," Nami gasped, "Nana looks...terrible!"

On the Thousand Sunny, Franky gripped the railing. "What the hell did you do, Nana-brat?"

Nami's eyes snapped over at Franky. "Oh! I forgot to tell you! Nana wanted me to tell you to bring the wax!"

"The wax?" Franky asked.

Sanji's eyes widened. "Camie washed her corset. The coating on it...wasn't it some sort of special wax? Isn't that what she said to Usopp? That it absorbed magnetic energy?"

"Ow! I'll go get it now!" Franky yelled as he ran towards Nana's room, where she had told him she kept a jar of it.

"I can't believe you remembered...You were practically unconscious on the ground from your nosebleed when Nana told us that," Chopper gasped.

"Idiot! Of course I remembered," Sanji grumbled.  _Being observant is what I do best. Right, Nana?_

"You people shattered Arlong's dream. He was a symbol of our anger!" Hordy Jones roared. he then turned to someone off camera, "Do it."

The chain started to lift high in the air. Usopp and Brook screamed, while Zoro looked cautiously around, while the unconscious Nana leaned heavily against his shoulder. The room began to fill with water.

"That room will be filled with water by the time we finish executing the King. You lowly creatures can't survive that, can you? 'Straw Hat Luffy' with a 400-million bounty. You people's heads will serve perfectly as a lesson to humans above ground," Hordy Jones laughed, "Now just stand back and watch. The Fishman Island will win back its pride in three hours!"

The video feed shut off and Sanji shoved his hands into his pockets. In one hand he gripped his lighter and the other one he held tightly onto Nana's necklace. "That...bastard…" Sanji seethed.

"We'll get them back, Sanji-kun," Nami said, "Don't worry. Hordy will pay for-"

"HOW DARE THAT SHITTY MORIMO JUST SWOOP IN AND TRY TO BE ALL PROTECTIVE OF NANA LIKE THAT? He's sitting way too close to her!" Sanji yelled up at the screen, "What an opportunistic bastard!"

Both Nami and Chopper slapped Sanji hard against the back of his head. "SERIOUSLY?!"

"He…He…" Luffy muttered while his whole body shook violently.

Nami and Chopper immediately ran to the rubber man. "Don't worry, Luffy. We'll get them back and-"

"HE JUST SAID 400 MILLION BELLIS?! IS THAT MY NEW BOUNTY?!" Luffy cried victoriously with stars in his eyes.

"SERIOUSLY?!"


	67. Battle Mode

"Damn! The water level keeps rising!" Usopp shrieked and then he looked over at Nana, "Oy! Nana! Really need you to wake up and find a way to open the metal cage or something!"

"Usopp-san, I just got dry. I don't want to soak in water again," Brook cried.

"I don't either," Usopp lamented, "Zoro, do something!"

"Okay," Zoro growled, "Untie me first."

"I'm not the one who can control metal!" Usopp snapped, "We're just lucky that they didn't take away Nana's gloves or backpack. They only took our weapons and her hammer."

"Yeah, well she needs to wake up first," Zoro grunted, "And my foot can't reach her from this angle so someone else kick her for me."

"Yohoho," Brook laughed, "If Sanji-san heard that, he would be very cross, Zoro-san."

"The hell do I care what that jerk thinks," Zoro said, "Besides, Nami escaped so they can bring Luffy and the others here."

"What if they don't come?" Usopp cried, "I can just hear them now."

He softened his voice. "Robin would say, 'I hope Nami didn't get eaten by a deep sea fish' and Franky would say, 'Ow! The Sunny is super ready to leave whenever they're back'."

"Yohohoho. That's very good impressions, Usopp-san. Do Sanji-san!"

"Sanji would be like-"

"You shitty swordsman. Don't make me kick you in your good eye and leave you blind."

"Yohoho. Yes, that is what he would say, Usopp-san!"

"That wasn't me, Brook." Usopp's eyes widened as he looked at Nana, who was starting to sit up.

Nana glared at Zoro. "You wanted to kick me awake?"

Zoro shrugged. "How else should I have woken you up?"

"Waited patiently," Nana snapped as she shifted so that her backpack was turned towards Usopp, "Usopp-sama, turn around. See if you can grab the screwdriver from my backpack. It should be at the top."

"Your screwdriver?" Usopp asked as he swiveled as much as he could, " Are you going to use it to get us out?"

Nana frowned and she looked around her, "I'm going to use it to get the chains off of us first. Then we'll see about this cage."

"I can cut us out if I had my swords," Zoro stated.

"That's a very big 'if'!" Nana snapped and waited for Usopp. Unfortunately, because of how their arms were pinned to their backs, he had to do it blindly. It took awhile but finally the sniper held the screwdriver firmly in his hand.

"Okay, now give it to Brook," Nana said.

"What? Why me, Nana-san?" Brook asked.

"I'll guide you on how to loosen the chains on Zoro. Usopp-sama will watch so that he knows how to loosen  _my_  chains. Once that's done, I can loosen everyone else's," Nana explained.

Zoro raised an eyebrow of inquiry. "Why don't I get to loosen-"

"Because you're the one most likely to drop it," Nana said not even allowing Zoro to finish his complaint, "Okay, watch closely, Usopp-sama."

Under Nana's guidance and Brook's careful handling, Zoro's chains fell heavily onto the floor of the cage. Then Usopp quickly took the screwdriver and repeated the process on Nana's chains. Soon, all the chains were on the floor and everyone had regained the freedom of their arms.

"Great," Usopp cheered, "Now what?"

Nana tapped the cage. "The door is locked from the top...Which means...we can't get out from inside. We'll need to cut our way out or use my hammer."

"WHAT?!" Usopp shrieked.

"That's what I've been saying," Zoro shouted, "I need my sword."

"Where the hell are we even supposed to find it?!" Nana said back.

"I have no choice," Brook replied solemnly, "I have to do something in front of you three. Apologies in advance, Nana-san. This might be a little uncomfortable for you."

His nakama looked curiously back at him. "Huh?"

"Bone. Bone. Bone. Bone. Bone. Bone. Bone," Brook started to chant cryptically.

"Oy, Brook, what are you doing?" Usopp hissed.

"Bone. Bone. Bone. Bang!" Brook shouted as his jaws opened and a green spirit floated out of it.

"Boom! I'm out. Yohohoho!" the spirit laughed.

Usopp and Nana's eyes bugged out and they clung to each other. "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!"

"You can do something like that now?!" Zoro shouted incredulously.

"Yohohoho. Yes, I can make my soul leave my body," the spirit of Brook explained, "You see, a while back I was in a bit of a slump with my musical career and-"

"The water is rising," Nana snapped. She had reached her limit. Between the insane amount of times she was submerged in water and now this, she had reached past the point of fear, "Get us out of here and then share your story!"

"Yohohoho. Yes, Nana-san," Brook replied as he floated through the window, "I'll go see if I can find everyone's weapons."

It seemed they were waiting for an eternity before Brook came back announcing he had found Pappagu and the weapons. Then they waited even longer when Pappagu finally appeared dragging Zoro's three swords, Nana's hammer, Brook's cane, and Usopp's Kabuto. By that time, the water was already up to their knees.

_Shing! Clank!_

Nana and the rest of the Straw Hats clung desperately to the bars of the cage as Zoro cut the bottom off and then the overzealous swordsman sliced the top off the entire building.

"You cut too much!" Nana and Usopp shrieked.

The water started to flood in at an even faster pace and the water consumed the Straw Hats and Pappagu. It pushed them out the top of the building and into the sea.

Nana clamped her hands over her mouth and nose as she was pulled along by the current.  _Not again!_

She squeezed her eyes shut and just when she thought she couldn't hold in her breath anymore, she felt a hand on her wrist. Her eyes flew open as Sanji pulled her tightly to his chest, smooshing her face flat against his shirt to prevent any more water from going up her nose.

His head was encased in a glass helmet while he sat in the cockpit of the creation that was housed in Dock #7, Nana's Mechanical Flying Fish.

"I got you, Nana," Sanji grunted, smoking inside his own protective bubble, "I got you this time."

They flew past Pappagu, who was dragging Usopp and Brook, while Zoro was pushed by the current. They burst through the bubble encasing the palace and into the bubble that coated the Thousand Sunny. Sanji released his hold on Nana and she gasped for air.

She gaped at Sanji, who landed her vehicle smoothly into the opened dock gate. "I hope you don't mind that I took it out before you could show it to everyone," Sanji smiled down at her while the gate closed behind them, "But seeing as you used this already to get from Amazon Lily to Sabaody, I figured you wouldn't mind if I operated the second flight out."

"Franky taught you how to operate it?" Nana asked.

"Sorta," Sanji replied, taking off his helmet. He pulled his cigarette out and he leaned over to give her a soft kiss on the lips, "I had to figure some stuff out on my own but good thing I'm a smart guy when I'm thinking clearly."

Nana's eyes filled with tears of relief. "You're back? Really back?"

"Ah," he said, brushing her face with his hand while holding the cigarette between his fingers, "I'm sorry for making you wait and I'm sorry for scaring you. I'll never do that again."

"Damn right you won't," Nana choked out as she reached up and pulled him by the neck forward so she could give him a real kiss, a kiss that she waited two years for. She released all the pent up frustration, passion, and heartache in her kiss and she clung to him like he was her life preserver.

He matched her with just as much fervor. He ran his hands through her hair and wrapped his arms around her waist. He held her so tightly as if she would disappear if he left just a sliver of an opening. After two years of him in hell, having her back in his arms, back in his life was truly the heaven Sanji was waiting for and it was better than any paradise he could ever dream of.

He finally broke from the kiss, partially to stop himself from having a nosebleed but mostly because he was almost at a point of no return and this was not the time or the place for that. "Nana," he rasped, "We need to go back up to the deck so I can fill you guys in on what's going on. We're about to go into battle."

Nana snorted. "I don't know if you're aware, Prince Charming, but I've been fighting nonstop ever since I left your side."

He kissed her forehead and rested his chin on top of her head. "Then never leave me again, Nana."

"I can't make that promise," Nana said and laughed when Sanji jerked back and stared at her in shock, "But I can promise that I'll never stop loving you."

Sanji smiled and started to kiss her again. "I can make that promise too," he murmured against her lips. He reached into his pocket and slipped her necklace back around her neck without even pausing in his kisses.

She laughed and pulled herself out of his arms and the cockpit. She ran her hands lovingly over the body of the metal flying fish, which had the words "Buzz-7" painted in red against its shiny alloy steel.

Ever since Duvall gave her the chance to ride a real one, she had already drawn up plans in her mind to recreate a mechanical one that would could swim and fly. She didn't want a real one as they had breathing limitations up in the air and she didn't want to risk killing one. It allowed her to do anything she wanted it to, crash landings included. Plus, the seats on Duvall's were actually very uncomfortable, which is why she built two seats inside the vehicle and not modeled entirely like the ones the Rosy Riders had.

She held her hand out to Sanji while her other hand touched the pendant. "Shall we?"

* * *

"Please save Father-sama! Luffy-sama!" a high pitch voice shrieked from down below.

Sanji stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray and set it on the table of the lawn deck before getting up from his seat. "That's our cue," he said and turned to Franky, "Take the Sunny down."

"Oy! I thought we were supposed to wait for Jimbei to make that call!" Chopper demanded from the railing but Nana quickly held out a hand to stop the reindeer.

"There's no use, Chopper," Nana grinned as she patted Pygmy, who was resting his head on her lap, "Asking Prince Charming to ignore the heartfelt plea of a Mermaid Princess is like asking Zoro to put on a skirt and do the hula for us. None of these things are ever going to happen."

Sanji and Brook shuddered at the image as the cyborg waved to Hoe, King Neptune's whale, who was floating next to them to start the descent down to Conchcord Plaza. Usopp, Brook, Zoro, and Nana were all filled in on what they had missed as well as the dark history the island had. Although, Nana was completely sure Zoro did not catch any of it or did he care, which didn't matter one way or another. All they had to know was that Jimbei and their friends on Fishman Island needed Luffy's help to kick some ass. Their captain, Nami, and Robin were already hidden down in the plaza and the rest of the Straw Hats, including Pappagu, waited patiently for their cue overhead in the Thousand Sunny, hidden behind a cloud.

"Ow! Nana-brat!" Franky said as he ran into the prow of the ship, "Take over steering the Sunny."

"Roger that," Nana replied, grabbing the helm as the cyborg pushed the stairs behind the masthead down and climbed into the secret chamber.

"Goan Cannon!" he cried, firing at the wall that surrounded the plaza. The shockwave and debris sent the New Fishmen Pirates below flying out, creating the perfect distraction for Hoe to swim down and fetch the Princes and the King, which Hordy Jones had taken as his prisoners. They escaped by the skin of their teeth, leaving only Jimbei down there with the Mermaid Princess, her pet shark, Luffy, Nami, and Robin to face their opponents.

Nana landed the Thousand Sunny safely down, right next to the Mermaid Princess and Megalo, feeling thousands of eyes on them not just from the plaza floor but the citizens that were watching from the high ridges above.

Chopper switched into his Walking Point. "Wow," he breathed, "Look how many people there are."

Usopp gulped and took a step back from the railing. "Do you think they're all our enemies?"

"I hope so," Nana said as she ran a hand along her freshly coated corset and adjusted the fit on her backpack, "It looks like there's at least 70,000 of them."

"Closer to 100,000, I think," Sanji replied as he lit a new cigarette.

"Yohohoho. This is going to be a little tough," Brook laughed.

Zoro smirked and adjusted his swords. "You can take a nap or something if you want. I'll take care of them."

"I already took one but yours is overdue," Nana scoffed, "So why don't you hang back, you lazy swordsman? Now that we're not in that stupid flooded palace and I've got a fresh coating, I can finally go all out."

"What did you say?" Zoro snapped, "Did you just conveniently forget that I saved you back in the palace?"

"Yeah, just like how I conveniently forgot that you owed me money for cutting up my waterboard in Enies Lobby," Nana retorted, "So we're even."

"Th-Th-That was two years ago!" Zoro sputtered.

"You're lucky I'm not Nami or else I would've not only remembered your debt, I would've charged you interest."

"Ah! It makes me so happy to see Nana yell at the Moss Head," Sanji sang.

"Who are you calling a Moss Head?!"

"It looks like we're all super full of energy," Franky interrupted as he raised his arms, "Let's go super wild, you guys!"

They all jumped off the ship, with Pappagu, Pygmy, and Franky staying behind and standing on the mast head. They walked towards their captain. Nana tapped her hammer against her palm while Sanji calmly smoked his cigarette on her left and Brook humming a jovial tune on her right.

"Oy! Straw Hat Luffy! Are you really going to destroy the island?" the citizens demanded from above, "Why did you occupy the Ryugu Palace? Did you guys really kidnap the mermaids? Are you people friends or foes to Fishman Island?"

The Straw Hats all paused when they were next to Jimbei. Robin and Nami were by his side and Robin quickly unlocked the shackles on his wrist. The Fishman stood up and his eyes caught Nana's. He nodded his greeting to her and she grinned back at him. Then they both looked forward at Luffy, who faced them all with his hat lowered over his eyes. "Friends or foes?" he repeated solemnly, "That's something you'll have to decide on your own!"

Nana scanned the coral podium that stood in the center of the plaza. Her eyes narrowed at the Captain and officers of the New Fishman Pirates. She had met Hordy Jones back at the palace but he looked vastly different than before. He looked older, with whitened hair, but also bulkier with veins bulging along his muscles. The group of officers seemed to be predominantly shark-based Fishmen with one very drunk octopus and a scowling squid. One of the sharks had a hammer that was thirty times as big as Nana's. The wielder seemed to be a hammerhead shark.  _How appropriate._

"We've been waiting for you, Straw Hat!" the citizens shouted down at them. Their tone turning into supportive cheering when they saw that the Straw Hats were joining forces with the well respected Boss Jimbei, "Straw Hat! Straw Hat!"

Brook ran over to the giant pink Mermaid, sitting next to the ship, as Nami handed her a sheet of paper, which Nana assumed was the letter from the Celestial Dragons that Sanji and Jimbei had told them about. The skeleton bowed his head. "Mermaid Princess-san, you're so beautiful. Yohohoho! Excuse me, could I see your pants?"

That earned him a heavy punch on his head, courtesy of their navigator.

Nana eyed the Mermaid Princess, who was as large as she was beautiful and timid. She looked curiously at Sanji. "How did you not bleed out when you saw her?!"

"When we first met her, Sanji was so depressed that he couldn't even bring himself to look at her," Chopper explained, "He was worse than when he was hit by those negative ghosts at Thriller Bark."

"I told you, you were too hard on him," Usopp hissed at Nana.

"You said what I needed to hear, Nana," Sanji replied as he took a deep drag of his cigarette, "And I understand completely why you did it. It snapped me to my senses."

He then twirled over to her and threw his arms around her shoulder. "Aren't you proud of me?" he sang, "I became the reliable man that you love and I was able to save you with your own Buzz-7!"

"Buzz-7?" Luffy asked, "What's that?! A new weapon?!"

"Oh! Speaking of that, why the hell did you only grab Nana and didn't take me?!" Usopp demanded.

"No, we didn't need the shitty cook's help," Zoro grunted, "We got to the exit on our own just fine."

"Well, you couldn't have done it without me!" Pappagu boasted from the mast head.

"Brook had to become a ghost and convince you first," Usopp snapped, "It wasn't like you willingly came to save the day."

"Brook became a ghost?!" Luffy asked excitedly.

"That's right. My newfound ability helped us. Yohohoho!" Brook laughed, which earned him a kick from Sanji, who didn't even remove his arms from around Nana.

The cook glared at the skeleton. "You must've freaked out Nana with that stunt of yours."

Nana laughed. "Yeah, he did but...in the end it helped us so I can't really complain."

"Thank you all," the Mermaid Princess breathed gratefully to them, "You saved not only Father-sama and my brothers but also the hope of the FIshman Island that Mother-sama left behind."

"Don't thank us yet," Nana said with a wave of her hand and then pointed forward at the podium, "The fight hasn't even begun."

"Yeah, is it safe for Yowahoshi to be here?" Luffy asked Jimbei.

The Fishman sighed. "Having her captured was never part of the plan and neither was asking her to escape on her own."

"Vander Decken was so useless. I needed him to get rid of Shirahoshi!" Hordy growled as he stood up from his shell throne on the podium, "She's the legendary Mermaid Princess with that troublesome power. I needed to take her out but...you people duped me completely. Jimbei, I should have noticed when you gave in without much struggle. You're quite taken with these humans, aren't you?"

He glared accusingly at Jimbei. "I despise your kind the most. Fisher Tiger, your childhood friend, and Arlong, who was like a brother to you, were both beaten or killed by humans. But instead of seeking revenge for them, you joined hands with humans! You are as gutless as Neptune."

He laughed menacingly. "When I become king of the island I will take over everything. I'll go to the World Summit and kill the human kings from all over the world. We'll drag all the humans in the world into the water and enslave them. Eventually no one would be able to stand up to us, not even pirates. Everyone will fall down on their knees before the New Fishman Pirates and I'll be the one who becomes King of the Pirates."

Luffy tilted his head up so he could see Hordy beneath the brim of his hat. "King of Pirates?"

"You're just a band of eleven half-assed pirates," Hordy jeered, "You can't do anything. We have 100,000 on our side!"

"You were right," Nana smirked at Sanji as she gave him a rewarding kiss on the cheek, "100,000. I was off by 30%."

"Yes, Nwaanwaaaa! I will be the most astute and observant man in this world for you," Sanji swooned, "After this, let's go on a date at the Mermaid Cafe and we can bring along Mermaid Princess-swama, Nami-swan, and Robin-chwan!"

"What kind of date is that?!" Usopp snapped while Nana just laughed.

"Kill them all, New Fishman Pirates!" Hordy ordered, as the pirates on the plaza raised their weapons in a thunderous battle cry, while the citizens cried their support for the Straw Hats.

"100,000 is nothing," Nami said confidently as she ducked behind Nana and Sanji, "Let's do this!"

"Oy! Don't hide behind the power couple while you say that!" Usopp snapped.

Nami stuck her tongue out at him from over Nana's shoulder. "You're just mad you didn't think of it first."

"Leave it to us, Nami-swan!"

"100,000 pirates which means we need to take out 10,000 each," Nana said, "Nami, I can take 5,000 of those off of your hands."

"Take it all and I can erase all the debt you owe me," Nami replied.

"I don't remember owing you anything!" Nana snapped just as Luffy walked forward silently.

"Luffy?!" Sanji called after him as the pirates swarmed around him.

"That 400 million bounty is mine! Kill him!" they shouted.

A shockwave of Haki exerted out of the rubber man and through the entire plaza. It knocked out half of the pirates. Nana could hear Nami gasp from behind her. "Two years well spent," Nana muttered.

"That was Conqueror's Haki?" Sanji asked, "So he was capable of that, as I thought."

Zoro smirked. "That's what I needed from my captain. Otherwise, he would need to step down."

Luffy pushed his straw hat up and he glared at Hordy. "You can become the king of whatever you want in any country. But there can only be one King of the Pirates!"


	68. Rumble in Conchcord Plaza

The battle between the 50,000 pirates and the Straw Hats was not evenly matched to say the least. The Straw Hats were winning by an overwhelming margin. The 50,000 pirates did not stand a chance. Between Zoro and Brook's slashes, Sanji's kicks, Robin's many limbs sprouting everywhere, Chopper's kung fu hits, Franky's ammo, Usopp's sprouting plants, and Nami's weather attacks, the odds were definitely not in the New Fishman Pirates' favor, especially when over a thousand of them had lost their weapons before they could even fight.

"Metal Planet!," Nana shouted for the tenth time as she swooped up into the air with her metal wings, collecting an array of weapons that circled around her two hands and then shooting them back down to the ground below, "Big Bang!"

"Ahhhh!" the people below her cried as they ran away. A flurry of their swords, spears, and tridents came flinging back down to them and lodged deep into the coral floor. It would take enormous strength to pull them back out and be used.

"Ow! Nana-brat," Franky shouted up at her, "I think it's time to unveil them officially!"

Nana paused in mid air and raised an eyebrow while Usopp and Chopper looked excitedly at Franky. "What? Unveil what, Big Bro?!" they squealed.

Franky grinned and waved them over with his mini-hands. "I have two new weapons. Come if you want to ride along."

"Is it safer to be on board?" Nami asked and Nana flew down towards her.

"Actually," Nana said with a grin as she scooped the navigator up by the arms and flew towards the ship, "You should come with me."

"AHHH! Nana, what are you doing?!" Nami screeched and then was dropped onto the lawn deck.

Nana landed next to Nami and her wings folded back into her backpack. "Want to take your weather control to the next level?"

Pygmy ran towards them with his tail wagging and licked both girls in the face. Nana grinned at him. "Good boy. Just stay here and protect the ship, okay?"

Nami looked at Nana curiously. "You don't want Pygmy to come with you?'

Nana shook her head. "Pygmy has never been a fighter. He's a guard and a tracker...but not an attacker."

She led Nami down to the docking engine room, ignoring the navigator's demands of a kidnapping fine, and opened up the gate to Dock #7.

"What is that?!" Nami gasped.

"Meet the mechanical flying fish, Buzz-7," Nana said with a smile and climbed into the cockpit, "It's a two seater and can work both underwater and in the sky."

"Why didn't you use it when we were diving towards Fishman Island?"

"It's like the shark submerge. It can't handle water pressure below 7,000 feet," Nana explained, "But the water pressure on the seafloor is the same as it is on the surface so we can take it in the air and outside of Fishman Island. We just can't go too high."

She gestured for Nami to get closer and Nana pointed at a three small holes along the seat in the back with a button in front of each hole. "This," Nana explained, "Is for each part of your Clima-Tact. Push the buttons in different forms and it'll shoot out the different combinations out the back of Buzz-7."

"But my Clima-Tact has been upgraded in the last two years. It's not the same-" Nami started to protest but Nana grinned.

"Trust me. You might know weather but I know mechanics," Nana said and climbed into the cockpit, "It'll work. I thought of everything."

She fitted her goggles over her eyes and Nami hesitantly got into the seat, breaking apart her Sorcery Clima-Tact and fitting it into the holes. She then noticed a couple of small holsters lined along the inside door. "What are those for?"

"To hold Usopp-sama's Kabuto and Zoro's swords should either of them ever ride with me," Nana replied as she adjusted her seat, "Like I said, I thought of everything. There's even a lunch warmer by your feet for Luffy and a book holder for Robin."

"How long did it take you to make this?" Nami gasped.

"Two long years," Nana grinned as she turned to face the front again.

Nami sat back and smiled at the back of the mechanic's head. She must've missed us a lot to put so much thought into this. I'll cut her fine in half.

"Ow! Nana-brat!" Franky called as he, Chopper, Pappagu, and Usopp walked into the docking engine room, "I see you got Nami all ready for the Buzz-7! I'm going to take Black Rhino FR-U. Usopp and them will take Brachio-Tank 5."

"The what now?," Nami asked as Chopper and Usopp shrieked with glee.

"Motorcycle and tank," Nana explained with less enthusiasm as the sniper and doctor. She waved over to Franky, "Oy! We'll go out first then. Can you open the gate for us?"

"Will do!" Franky shouted and he spun the dial on the control board. The docks began to shift and Nana revved up the engine just as the gate began to open.

"Hold on and wear your seatbelt," Nana said as she handed Nami a pair of goggles, "And wear this just in case."

"I want a helmet!" Nami complained but took the goggles anyways and then fitted it over her head. She was about to click on the seat belt when Nana zoomed off and the force of it slammed the navigator hard against her seat, pinning her arms down.

"Here we gooooo!" Nana screamed, taking off high into the air while hearing the awestruck shouts from her captain below.

"AH! Nana has her own Flying Fish?! I want to ride it!" Luffy shouted from the floor below.

"Idiot!" Zoro snapped, "Focus on fighting!"

Nana reached into her pouch of mini cannonballs. She flipped the Buzz-7 upside down

and flicked the explosives down onto the ground below. Unfortunately, the navigator, who was not able to fasten her seat belt in time, began to fall as well.

"EEEEEK!" Nami screamed.

"You didn't put on your seatbelt?!" Nana gasped. She swerved the Buzz-7 rightside up again and was about to dive down to catch the navigator.

"Nami-san! I'll save you! Thud!

Nana's eyes widened as Sanji appeared out of nowhere and caught Nami in his arms. His feet kicked the air and he looked like he was stepping on an invisible staircase as he brought Nami back to the Flying Fish.

Nana leaned her arm over the edge of the Flying Fish and she raised an eyebrow at Sanji. "Well, this is new."

Sanji leaned over and planted a kiss on her lips. "If a man falls in love with an angel, he'll need to learn how to fly."

"Okay," Nami huffed from the back, "Now, I'm strapped in. We can go now, Nana…and I'm fining you for reckless driving."

"Yes, yes," Nana sighed as she waved goodbye to Sanji and sped off. She grabbed another fistful of cannonballs. She circled around the plaza and began to shoot them at the Fishmen's feet, herding them into a tighter circle, "Now, Nami!"

"Got it," Nami said. She pushed the buttons and little black clouds began to spurt from the back of the Flying Fish. "Weather forecast! High chance of a thunderstorm...happening now! Thunder Tempo!"

Lightning crashed down with a thunderous boom down at the Fishmen below while Nana shot more cannonballs with her glove. Through the frenzy, Franky burst through the ship on his new red and aqua motorbike.

"Cool! It's a cy-bike!" Luffy cried joyously.

Then, the dock began to turn again and a large tank with the mouth of the gun shaped like a dinosaur rolled out. The entrance to the tank flipped open and Chopper sprang out victoriously. "I am Commander Chopper!"

Luffy ran along side the tank as Usopp started to blast away at their opponents. "You're so cool, Commander!"

"Luffy! Focus!" Zoro lectured.

A large group of Fishmen floated up using their bubbles and surrounded Buzz-7. "Get them! Get the humans!" they shouted.

Nana smirked and pulled a lever while she drifted the vehicle in a circle. Hot steam jetted out of the back, creating a dense cloud that popped the bubbles holding up the Fishmen. The Fishmen dropped down onto the plaza below, which was being peppered with explosives from the tank.

Robin glanced up and she let out a small smile. "It's raining Fishmen."

"Go, Straw Hats! You're doing great, Straw Hats!" the citizens cheered, "Go, Boss Jimbei!"

Hordy, who had been patiently waiting from the sidelines, finally had enough. He clenched his fist and called up to the sky. "Come on out, Kraken!"

Behind him, thick orange tentacles shot out from over the ridge and a very familiar sea monster pulled himself into the plaza. He growled and snarled, while making his way forward.

Nana felt Nami lean forward in her seat. "Isn't that…," the navigator wondered.

The sea monster roared and thrashed his tentacles around.

Nana dove down closer to the plaza floor in order to avoid an attack. "It has to be. There can't be a second...Can there?" she asked Nami back.

"Oy! SURUME!"

Nana landed the Buzz-7 right in front of the Thousand Sunny as she watched Luffy run happily run towards the beast with his arms outstretched. "It's me! Surume! How could you forget me? You became my pet for awhile. You're my friend! Let me ride you again. It was so much fun the last time."

Nami unclipped her seat belt and jumped out of Buzz-7 while Nana stayed in her seat just as the Kraken slammed his tentacles down on the floor towards their captain.

"Luffy!" Nami and Nana gasped at the same time.

"Shishishishi," Luffy laughed as the Kraken picked him up by the pits and dropped him on his head, "That tickles! Surume is the best!"

He then thrusted his arms in the air and grinned down at his nakama. "Look! I got a cool ride too! I'm Commander Luffy! Surume, go and protect Yowahoshi!"

The Kraken slithered over towards the Mermaid Princess and wrapped its tentacles protectively around her. He blushed sheepishly at her as she gave him a coy smile back. "Thank you for your help, Surume-sama," she breathed politely.

Nana lifted her goggles and climbed out of her seat.

"You're not going to fly it anymore?" Nami asked.

Nana smiled. "It runs on cola. Gotta preserve the fuel." Then the smile left her face and her eyes narrowed at the podium. "And we can't waste all our energy now especially when the real fight hasn't even started yet."

Nami followed Nana's gaze and saw that Nana was referring to Hordy and his officers.

"We've already taken out more than half their men, plus Kraken, and yet they haven't even moved a muscle," Nana said solemnly, "They have something up hidden up their sleeves that they're not ready to show just yet."

"How do you know that?" Nami asked.

"Experience…" Nana replied.

"You've fought 100,000 men before?" Nami asked exasperatedly.

"No," Nana said, "But when you've been fighting in non-stop rounds in a tournament, you learn the value in conserving your strength and knowing when your opponent hasn't played all their cards yet."

"Where the hell were you these last two years?"

Nana grinned with her eyes fixed on the sharks. "Exactly where I needed to be."

The cookiecutter shark Fishman leapt off of the podium and disappeared underneath the floor. So he's a digger, Nana thought as her eyes scanned the rest of the crew.

The octopus was a swordsman, that she knew, since she had seen him with his swords back at Mermaid Cove, when they were trying to Sanji out of that annoying situation. That has Zoro written all over him.

The squid officer had many spears in his hands so it was obvious what his attacks would be, much like the hammerhead shark. Her eyes then moved to the blue and purple carpet shark. who had his arms folded across his chest and looking stoically onward. What's your deal?

The sounds of metal rattling took Nana's attention away from the podium and she turned in time to see the tank drop into a deep ditch with the cookiecutter shark happily gnashing his teeth from the edge. "I just dug a web of tunnels underground with my fangs! Kya kya! No one can escape my special attack - Daruma Drop!," the small shark cheered.

Vroom!

Franky came racing forward to the rescue on his motorbike. "What's wrong?! Usopp?! Chopper?!"

Before the cookiecutter shark could even move, Franky zoomed past him and fell right into the ditch next to the tank.

"WHAT?! ARE YOU DUMB?!" both the shark and Nana shouted incredulously.

"Bastard! I won't let you get away with it!" Franky shouted as he flung Pappagu, Chopper, and Usopp out of the pit., "Let's get perverted!"

'What the hell is he going to do?" Nami asked, turning to the mechanic.

Nana's eyes widened and she shook her head. "I have no idea."

With a series of whirrs, rattling, and metal gears snapping into place, Franky transformed before their very eyes, combining the Brachio-Tank 5 and Black Rhino FR-U 4 and docking right in its middle. "IRON PIRATE!" he shouted as he snapped into place and became part of a shiny metal robot that stood taller than a two story house, "General Franky!"

"What the hell is that?!" the Fishmen shouted.

"So...so...so." Nana, Usopp, Chopper, and Luffy stuttered, "SO COOL!"

Nami stared incredulously at Nana. "Don't tell me you're into it too?!"

General Franky pulled out a sword out of its back and he began to swing it around and around.

"Oh my god! It has a sword!" Nana, Usopp, and Chopper squealed.

"This is the plunderer's sword!" Franky announced, "Franken!"

"AMAZING!" Luffy cheered.

He started to swing the sword in a circle at the Fishmen's feet. "General…Watch-Your-Step!"

The Fishmen hopped up rhythmically to avoid the circling sword. They looked more like they were exercising or playing in a schoolyard than fighting on a battle ground.

"What the hell kind of move is that?!" Nana demanded, losing her enchantment due to the cyborg's stupidity.

"I'm not done yet, Nana-brat," Franky announced, "The cannons in these shoulders will get you while you're jumping!"

"Cannons? I don't remember there being cannons in either the tank or the bike…" Nana said with a frown.

"What?! Cannons in the shoulders?!" Luffy asked.

The midsection of the Iron Pirate popped open and Franky leaned out blasting the cannons from his own shoulders. "YOU MEAN THE CANNON FROM YOUR OWN BODY?!" Nana seethed.

"Can General Franky combine with Nana's flying machine?!" Luffy asked, bouncing on his feet with delight.

The guys all turned expectedly at Nana, who glared at them and took a protective step towards her Buzz-7. "Do you know how many modifications that will entail?!" Nana exclaimed exasperatedly.

Chopper, Luffy, and Usopp looked accusingly at Nana and stuck their thumbs down at her. "Booooo."

"Leave me out of his perverted inventions," Nana snapped.

"Kraken!" Hordy's angered voice pierced through the air, silencing the entire plaza, "Good job. You gained their favor so slickly and was able to get close to the princess. Now squeeze her to death."

Nana's eyes widened as she stared up at the frightened Kraken's face.

"I know where your brother is," Hordy continued as the sea monster winced with terror, "We can go there and kill him at any time. You brothers are mythical creatures. Even in death, you two will be worth a heavy price...So what do you say, Kraken?"

The Kraken gulped.

"Now, squeeze Shirahoshi to death!" Hordy ordered.

Luffy's cheerful mood was wiped away instantly. The Kraken began to tighten his hold on the princess, who whimpered and struggled helplessly. "Surume-sama, you're hurting me."

Instantly, Nana dashed over and tried to pull back his tentacle. "Nana!" Sanji shouted in surprise, "You're no match for his strength!"

"Shut up," Nana grunted, knowing full well that Sureme's hold was a thousand times stronger than that of the Gorgon Sisters, "I know that but at least I'm buying her some time."

"Surume!" Luffy shouted, "So you were doing everything he says in order to save your brother's life? I know how you feel. Is it your younger or older brother?"

Luffy's face turned into a wide grin. "Let me save his life too then. Since you're my friend after all."

The Kraken gaped at the Straw Hat and Nana looked up at him. Despite exerting a lot of her energy on his tentacle, she gave a reassuring smile at the Kraken. "Believe in my captain, Surume. No one messes with his friends and gets away with it."

Tears came into the Kraken's eyes and he released his grip. Nana fell backwards and was caught swiftly by Sanji. Nana's smile brightened and she gave a thumbs up to the Kraken. "Thank you, Surume."

Luffy walked determinedly over to the podium, with his eyes fixed on Hordy. In front of the podium stood a group of Fishmen and two officers, the squid and the hammerhead shark.

"Sanji," Nana muttered.

"Ah," he replied as he dashed forward with her in his arms.

"Straw Hat!" the hammerhead shark roared as he raised its hammer.

"We won't let you come any closer to our captain-ch!" the squid officer declared, holding up all eight of his spears.

"Drop dead!" they cried.

Thwack! Thwack!

Luffy didn't even break his stride as Nana and Sanji leapt into the air over him. Nana blocked the large hammer with her own while Sanji kicked the squid in the face, knocking him back.

"Get the fuck…" Nana seethed, glaring up at the hammerhead shark.

"...Out of our captain's way," Sanji finished.

"Stop the Straw Hat!" the group of Fishmen cried, charging forward with their spears.

Luffy clenched his fist and began to pump his left arm. "Second Gear."

He disappeared from sight and at the same time, Zoro came charging through with his three swords. "Onigiri!'

The group of Fishmen were knocked back with cuts on their chest while Luffy reappeared on the podium with his leg lifted high in the air above Hordy's head. He swung it hard across the Fishman's face and he crashed through the wall behind him. "I don't know why, but I'm full of fight right now," he shouted.

Nana pushed the hammer up and then punched the shark across the face, making him skid to the side. "Let me teach you how to properly use a hammer," she said.

She was about to attack when a dark shadow fell over the entire plaza. She looked up and her eyes widened in horror. An enormous ark was sailing towards the island. It was bigger than any ship Nana had ever seen. Even from a distance, Nana could see how old and moldy the ship was and there were large metal winches and chains dangling near the front.

"Sanji," she said and pointed upwards, "If that breaks the bubble…"

"Ah," Sanji replied, lighting a cigarette and running his thumb over the curled engraving on the lighter, "It would destroy the island."

"Hehehe, you took your eyes off of us dosun," the hammerhead shark laughed, swinging his hammer at Nana.

"A fatal mistake for the both of you-ch," the squid jeered, thrusting his spears down at the pair.

Nana shifted her feet so that the hammer pounded into the ground next to her, never taking her eyes off of the ship, while Sanji did the same, avoiding the squid's attacks.

"Don't interrupt when the adults are talking!" Sanji and Nana scolded, knocking them both in the head and out of the way, Nana with her hammer and Sanji with a harsh kick. The two of them still stared up at the ship as if they had only swatted away two annoying flies.

"Ahhhhhhhhh!" The large Sea Bonze fell from the sky and crash landed onto the ground below. He winced and got up to his feet. A lump the size of a hefty boulder rose from his head as he cried up to the ark, "Captain Vander Decken! I fell off! Stop the ship! I don't want to die."

Nana gasped, "The pervert?!"

"Ow! Pervert? Don't look at me. I didn't build that ship!" Franky protested.

"Not you, Franky! Decken!" Nana snapped, "If Decken is behind the ship than…"

Both Nana and Sanji moved their gaze to the Mermaid Princess.

"Shirahoshi!" Decken's voice shouted from above. He was so far in the distance that he was just a speck in Nana's eyes, "I've been loving you for ten years, since you were just a little kid! There is no one who could love you like I do in all the whole wide world! Accept my love! LOVE! LOVE!"

"This guy really gives perverts a super bad name," Franky frowned.

"A pervert isn't a good thing!" Usopp snapped.

"Noah, the giant ship! It embodies my love for you. Accept it and drop dead along with all the Fishman Island, Shirahoshi!" Decken declared.

"Eeeek! It's going to crash through the bubble. We're doomed!" the citizens cried as Nana made her way back into her Buzz-7. She leapt into the cockpit and snapped her seatbelt in place.

"Where's the Mermaid Princess?" Jimbei asked.

Nana eyes widened and her head snapped up in time to see Shirahoshi swimming upwards. The Mermaid Princess extended her arms out in front of the ship. "I'm here!" she exclaimed breathily, "I thought you wanted to take just my life. If I am the only one who you wanted to kill, please do not harm the other people of the Ryugu Kingdom! Come and get me!"

"Hohohohoho! How amazing!" Decken cheered delightedly, "You're trying to take matters in your own hands in order to save your own country, aren't you? Shirahoshi! SHIRAHOSHI!"

His skin-crawl inducing laugh echoed throughout the island and it chilled Nana to the core.

"You're eligible to become Vander Decken IX's wife as I thought, " Decken crowed, "You better die while you're still beautiful and live in my heart forever!"

A large dagger sailed through the air from the ark towards Shirahoshi.

Shing!

"AHHHHH!" Shirahoshi screamed.

"Catch!"

"Princess-sama!" the civilians called up towards her.

"N-N-Nana?!" the Straw Hats gasped.

Nana grinned behind her glass helmet as she zoomed in between Shirahoshi and the ark. She held the weapon over the side of her Buzz-7 with one metal gloved hand while the other gripped the steering wheel. She nodded at the princess. "You okay?"

"You're Luffy-sama's friend?" Shirahoshi asked in surprise.

Decken was not so polite. "Who the hell are you?!"

Nana grinned and flung the dagger back where it came from. "I'm Mizu Nana!" she yelled, "And I'm an expert in making perverts behave."

She heard a high pitched shriek and the sounds of metal hitting into hard wood. Damn it. I missed.

"AHHH! Nwanwaaaaaa is so cool!" Sanji shouted from below and Nana laughed.

"One of the many perverts that I've tamed," Nana scoffed and then she turned to the princess, who was looking fearfully at the ship, "Go. He can't hurt you as long as I'm around."

"Can you stop the ship?" the Mermaid Princess asked.

"No," Nana admitted and then flexed her fingers in her gloves, "But I can stop his other weapons."

The Mermaid Princess nodded and began to swim away. Nana was about to follow her when a voice stopped her.

"Oy! Nana!" Luffy shouted from below, waving his arms, "Let me get on!"

"The ship is in water!" Nana warned just as Luffy shot up his arms and grabbed her vehicle by the tail. He shot himself into the backseat.

"Jimbei says Decken is a Devil Fruit user and there must be some air in the ship," Luffy said as he pulled out a bubble coral, "And he gave me this."

"Good. Keep it handy," Nana advised. She pulled off her glass helmet and she pressed a button next to some levers on her right. A glass top came over her and Luffy's head. She flew after the ship, "You're going to need it if you want to get out and fight and I might need you to cover Buzz-7 too if we have to go past 1000 meters above the sea floor."

"What?"

"Just hold onto it and I'll tell you when to use it!" Nana snapped.


	69. Bubbles

"Where is Shirahoshi taking this ship?" Nana asked as Buzz-7 pushed through the last bubble and went into the sea.

"Doesn't matter," Luffy demanded, "Just get me on the ship and I can kick Vander Decken's ass."

"That's going to put the island even more in danger right now," Nana snapped, "The ship is right on top of the island and if Vander Decken-

"STOP!" Luffy shouted, pressing his hands and face against the glass, "Quit it, you bastard!'

"Are you even listening to me?!" Nana roared and then she looked down to see what had enraged her captain.

Hordy was standing at the top of one of the chains with a bunch of Fishmen citizens crowded around the bottom. They were trying to pull it back and slow the ship down, creating some distance between the ark and their beloved princess. He was throwing shark arrows after shark arrows at them to get them to let go. The defenseless citizens were pierced all over their bodies and they all sank back into the island.

Nana gritted her teeth and forced herself to shift her eyes forward. "If the Princess hasn't stopped, neither should we," she said.

"Let me out, Nana. I"m going to kick Hordy's ass," Luffy seethed.

"Fishman have the advantage in water," Nana said, "Wait until you're on the ark."

"A regular Flying Fish might be faster than Fishmen but as I am now, I'm faster than even a Merman. It was very fortunate for me that Shirahoshi went out to sea. I can use my true ability to the full extent," Hordy jeered as he appeared in front of them. He raised his hands, "Shark Arrows!"

"Nana, can you dodge it?!" Luffy cried.

Nana smirked and raised her gloves in front of her. "No need. Sea Wave."

A burst of energy shot through her gloves and a small condensed current swept the arrows away, hitting Hordy in the chest and knocking him back slightly. His eyes widened as Nana swerved her Buzz-7 around him. "Ironically, I can now use my true ability to  _my_  full extend with the proper coating," she muttered.

"He's coming after us!" Luffy reported. "And he just threw his weapon at us. Can you repel it?"

"Not while I'm driving," Nana seethed, with her hands gripping the control wheel tightly, "Tell me if I have to turn left or right."

"Eh? Just move!"

"Left or right?" Nana asked.

"How the hell do I know?" Luffy demanded, "Just turn it!"

"What are you? Zoro? Can you not tell left from right?" Nana snapped.

"Left! No. Right! No, left!"

"Oh my god we're going to die!" Nana screamed as she made a judgement call and spun to the right, with a burst of steam coming out from behind to block them from Hordy's view. The trident missed the Buzz-7 by only a few millimeters and Nana let out a frustrated sigh, "If I had turned left, we could've died!"

"Shirahoshi!" Vander Decken's cackle came through from the ship above.

"Get to the deck!" Luffy ordered.

Without warning, Hordy shot past them and up towards the ship. "Ah!" Luffy cried, "What is he doing?! He's going onto the ship. Nana, follow him so I can kick his ass."

"Roger," Nana said and she was about to move her vehicle when the blue haired prince swam in front of them with his arms out.

"Wait!" the prince shouted.

"AHHHHH!" Nana screamed as she did a barrel roll to the left to avoid him. "What the hell are you doing?! Don't just dive in front of me like that, you crazy Merman!"

"Dizzy...so dizzy," Luffy whimpered from the backseat.

"Apologies for startling you. I'm sure you know by now that Hordy has an advantage in the water if nothing is done...so I have a plan," he said, "Just follow me."

"Oy! I promised Yowahoshi that I would protect her from-" Luffy protested.

"I have a promise to keep too," the prince reassured him, "I apologize also for suspecting you two but please trust me this time."

"Luffy?" Nana asked.

Luffy was silent for a second but then he nodded. "Ah, let's follow him."

"Okay," she sighed and nodded at the Merman, "Lead the way, Fish Prince."

They followed the prince towards the entrance to the Fishman Island. Nana couldn't help but think that if they might've avoided a lot of trouble if they came in through here in the first place. A group of royal guards were swimming in front of it.

"Prince Fukaboshi? What are you doing here?" they asked.

"Listen, we might need a large amount of air soon," the prince said, "Please make preparations."

Nana knocked against the glass to get their attention. "Wait. Air for what?"

"To make a big enough bubble to surround the Noah," the prince explained.

Luffy leaned forward. "There's already air on the ship!"

"Do you really think Hordy will leave that available for you to fight on?" the prince asked, "If we make a bubble big enough, we can surround the ship with it."

"What? Do you guys have a giant bubble coral?" Nana demanded, remembering the one Nami found in the palace.

The prince shook his head. "We create it from the Air Tank. It's an air conditioning facility that provides air to the Fishman Island."

"Luffy," Nana said solemnly, "Do you still have  _your_  bubble coral?"

"Yes, why?"

Nana turned and grinned at him. "Because I'm going to need you to get out."

"WHAT?!" Luffy demanded.

Nana fitted the glass helmet back on her head and she looked at the prince. "I can go to the Air Tank. I'll leave Luffy with you."

"Why would you want to-"

"I'm a mechanic," Nana said with a grin, "I'll be better at preparing the Air Tank than soldiers."

"But you don't know how the control room operates," the prince protested.

"Now it's your turn to trust me," Nana winked at him as the glass started to pull away from the top of Buzz-7. Water came crashing down over Nana and hurriedly, Luffy blew a bubble around him before the seawater took him. He floated upwards and the prince grabbed the rubber man.

"Is there a way I can reach you guys when I'm there?" Nana asked.

The prince nodded and handed a baby transponder snail to Luffy. "Hold on to this. I have one too and there should be one in the control room. Just lift the receiver and it'll automatically connect to all three of us."

"Great," Nana said and she gave a thumbs up sign to her captain, "I'll see you later."

"Ah," Luffy replied and tilted his hat over his eyes, "I'll leave the bubble to you then, Nana."

They split apart with the prince and Luffy going back up towards the ark while Nana followed the royal guards to the Air Tank which hovered in its own little bubble just outside of Fishman Island. Nana kept the Buzz-7 by the entrance as the royal guards showed her the different pipes and controls in the control room.

"This bubble…" Nana said, peering at the gauges, "It won't be enough to stop the Noah if it falls, right?"

"That's correct," one of the guards replied as began to pump and gather the air, "But it can slow it down."

"How are you going to shoot it out?" Nana asked, "It's a separate pressure from what's being injected into the bubble right?"

"Ah," the guard replied and gestured to a gauge on the other end of the room. "The air from there will help push the bubble towards the ship but if the air blasts too strong, the bubble will pop. "

"Unless…"Nana murmured as she took off her backpack and dug around in it.

"Unless what?" the guards looked at her curiously.

She pulled out a wrench and grinned at them. "Just watch and let the professional handle this."

The royal guards hesitantly sat back while Nana ran back and forth around the control room. She only asked very few questions at the beginning and then completely ignored their existence afterwards. They kept the speakers on so they could hear what was going on outside and the fearsome battle. However, the mechanic seemed to ignore all of it and didn't even flinch when she heard the angered cries from her own captain.

The only time she broke her concentration was when the transponder snail rang and she snatched it up with annoyance.

"It's not ready yet, Luffy. Don't rush me!" she barked.

"Ah! Is this the communication center?! This is the Minister of the Left. Who is this?" came the frantic demand of a very famliar voice that did not help Nana's mood.

"Catfish? Is that you?" she asked, "Listen, I don't have time for you. I'm trying to-...Ah hell, why the hell do I even bother explaining to you. You'll just accuse me of attempting to blow up the island or something. We're done talking."

Nana slammed the receiver down.

_Catcha._

Then she picked up the receiver again and let it rest on the floor. She glared at the guards. "Don't try to call him back. I can't have any distractions right now. We can explain everything to everyone when the bubble is ready. Got it?

The guards gulped and looked at each other nervously. They each wondered how the human girl suddenly became the one in charge. One of them looked out the control room and let out a scream. "Eeeee! The ship is starting to fall."

"Fuck," Nana sighed, dashing over to one of the gauges to check the progress of the bubble, "How much longer do you think it'll be until it aligns with our bubbles?"

"Ten minutes?" the guard guessed, "Wait! Bubble _s_?! We only have enough air to make one."

"Okay," Nana said, not bothering to answer the second question and then shot them a frustrated look, "Well, don't just stand there. Don't you have to warn the island that it's coming or something? Doesn't your island have evacuation plan or something?"

"But you told us not to call-"

"Don't call the Minister!" Nana demanded, "That's just bureaucratic nonsense. Announce it through the speaker system and sound an alarm or something!"

"Oh right. Wait. How did you know we had an alarm?"

"For a state of emergency?!" Nana snapped as she stomped over to check the gauge of a second bubble, "Of course you'd have one. Every town and city has one. Hell, at Water 7 we have five. I wasn't the mayor's daughter for nothing, you know!"

"But...we didn't know. We just met you," one of the guards protested weakly as he went over to the transponder snail and reconnected it to the island below.

An alarm blasted through out the control room as well as on Fishman Island. "To all citizens of the kingdom from the Air Tank above the island, an emergency evacuation has been ordered. The giant ship of Noah is falling back down on the island. Please leave the island immediately!"

Nana walked over to the window and finally took a look outside. She let out a slow exhale and then turned to the guard. "Okay," she said, "Put me through to Luffy and the prince."

"Y-Y-Yes, ma'am," one of the guards stammered and handed her the receiver, "Here you go."

_Purupururpuru. Purupurupuru. Catcha._

"Oy. Luffy! You there? It's your favorite mechanic reporting from the Air Tank," Nana said dryly.

"Ah! Nana," Luffy yelled, "Is the air ready?!"

"The guards here have been listening to what's been going on so we're all up to speed. I see the ship is falling so good job on kicking Decken's ass-"

"It wasn't me," Luffy interrupted, "That was Hordy."

"No shit," Nana whistled, "Well, if you put two low lives together, of course they'd go after each other eventually."

"Nana-sama, Luffy-sama, what do we do about the Noah?!" Princess Shirahoshi cried through the other end.

"I'm getting to that part!" Nana snapped.

"Ah! Nana-sama is mad at me," Princess Shirahoshi cried.

Nana sucked in an angered breath. "No, I'm not, Princess. I'm not yelling at you. I'm yelling  _near_ you."

"Okay…" Princess Shirahoshi said hesitantly.

Nana scowled. "Okay, so remember how the prince said we can shoot a bubble to surround the Noah to give you a place to fight? It's going to slow it down but it won't stop it completely."

"Yes, I know! Just hurry up and do it!" Luffy pressed.

"Just listen!" Nana shot back, "I found a way to turn that in our favor. I can't stop it but I can at least change its course slightly and buy us some more time."

"Us?" Luffy asked.

"How?!" Princess Shirahoshi gasped at the same time.

Nana grinned. "You handle Hordy, Luffy. Let the shipwright handle Noah. And as for how, Princess, I got the idea from your own kingdom. It's surrounded by two bubbles correct? So is this one. The first is a layer of seawater and the second is the actual air that will surround the ship. See, we don't have enough air here for two bubbles but we have enough coating."

"But why two layers?" Princess Shirahoshi asked.

"So that I can pop the first layer," Nana said, "We're shooting the bubble to Noah anyways, so if we give it too much force, the bubble will pop...But if we also do that, it means it can also push the Noah slightly away from the island. It'll still land on it but at an angle and not straight down the middle. Again, this is just to buy you some time."

"Got it," Luffy replied back.

"Luffy-san!" the guards shouted behind her, "We're counting on you! Please save us!"

"Hey, Straw Hat," Prince Fukaboshi's voice came through, "Mechanic girl...Can you two hear me?"

"Fish Prince?" Nana gasped, "You sound terrible. What's going on?!"

"Not important," Prince Fukaboshi grunted, "What matters is that I found about Hordy Jones. I know who he really is."

Nana held her tongue even though a sarcastic "is he your father" was just right on the tip of it.

"Who is he?" Luffy demanded, not sharing in Nana's comedic impulse.

"Hordy is...a monster who was brought to life by our own environment," the prince explained, "The New Fishman Pirates are a group of monsters created from an ancient grudge. It was bred from their ancestors who lived in the shadows of the Fishman Island. They fear that the grudge would be forgotten and their anger dispelled so they passed along their hatred towards humans with each generation. They just want to see bloodshed and the destruction of humans. They don't even want peace for the Fishmen."

"Are you saying that Hordy's hatred towards us humans is based on hearsay?!" Nana exclaimed.

"Their hatred is not rooted in their own experience or true beliefs," the prince said, "They have no substance. They are beyond rhyme or reason because all they are based on is hate."

"Nana-san!" one of the royal guards called to her, "Bubble is at 87% and the Noah is approaching!"

"Okay," Nana replied, tossing him the receiver and dashing over to the control panel. Nana's eyes narrowed on the targeting screen as she waited for the Noah to come into view. She blocked out the sounds of the prince's explanation and his tearful pleas. Talking can wait. Slowly, she saw the tip of the bow.

"Release the bubble at my command," Nana said to the guards as she turned a metal wheel in front of her to focus the target.

"Be careful. Unlike the bubbles protecting the island, this one can overshoot the ship. It has to surround the Noah just right and it can't go too far," one of the royal guards warned her.

Nana clenched her teeth as she saw a quarter of the ship come into the circle. She had to wait for fifty percent. "I got this. Trust me."

"We do, Nana-san," the royal guards admitted sincerely, "We really do."

"Good," Nana grunted and turned the wheel even more. "Okay...NOW!"

The bubbles shot forward at a fast but measured pace, the first bubble popped from the high pressure of the blast but the second bubble, the air bubble, sailed through unharmed. It touched the tip of the Noah just as the ship sank into the bubble and the bubble encased it completely. The ship's hull was pushed by the force of the bubble to veer off center and towards the western side of the island.

"YOU DID IT!" the guards cheered as they clapped Nana on the back.

"Straw Hat! Please! We don't need the past. Reset our history to zero. Wipe out those phantoms who shut the island away from the sun!" the prince pleaded to Luffy on the call, "Bring the Fishman Island back to zero."

"Brother-hoshi," Luffy finally replied, "Don't worry. Let me handle it my way. Our minds were made up when we arrived at the plaza, along with Jimbei. We weren't going to let anyone harm the island. Leave it all up to us, Brother-hoshi!"

Nana could hear the grin in her captain's voice.

"We're friends after all, aren't we?" Luffy asked.

Nana took the transponder snail back in her hands as the guards around her wiped away their tears, deeply moved by the Straw Hat's kind words.

"Alright, captain," Nana said, "Your ship is ready for you now. Go beat in a real dream into that empty Fishman while I go beat down this ship."

"Yosh," Luffy replied and Nana hung up the transponder snail.

* * *

On the plaza below, Sanji let out a long exhale on his cigarette. The angel sounded too preoccupied with her work to realize that she had accidentally connected them to the public speaker and everyone heard the conversation between her, Luffy, and the prince.

He almost choked on his own smoke when she had made the princess cry. The angel did not sound too pleased with that part and it must've annoyed her to no end that she had to coddle the princess while explaining the plan. To be fair, it was a brilliant plan but she was directing it to the wrong audience.

If she only knew that when Franky heard her plan, he had burst into proud tears and wailed about getting Den-chan to mention in his letter how much "Bakaberg's little brat has grown".

Sanji, on the other hand, although impressed by her innovative mind, was just very relieved that she hadn't stuck herself in the middle of a fight. Down here, their opponents were proving to be quite troublesome with their Energy Steroids and he could only imagine how it was up in the water with their captain. It would not have been an even playing field for the angel.

"Oy! Are you even listening to me?!"

Sanji lifted his cigarette from his lips and looked down at the inflated head of the enlarged Sea Bonze, which turned out was just a type of Blowfish Fishman. "Oh sorry. I was thinking about something else."

"Something else?!" the Sea Bonze asked, thoroughly offended, as he held his lips together in order to keep the air in.

"Ah," Sanji said, "I was thinking how best to fry an unnecessarily big blowfish. Nana would enjoy some fish and chips, since she prefers to eat with her hand."

"What?! Do it if you can," the Sea Bonze seethed as he began to roll forward. Sanji swiftly ran along the top of the spinning ball.

"Fishman Karate technique! Vagabond Drill!" Jimbei shouted from below, thrusting a powerful blast through the Sea Bonze and shooting him up in the air.

Sanji quickly skywalked out of the way and alongside the elevating blow fish. "How do you like it up here, Balloon Blowfish?" he asked coolly.

"Ah! The human is flying!" the blowfish shrieked, "You're scaring the guts out of me!"

"Well seeing your ugly face is bringing back scary memories for me!" Sanji spat back and bursting into flames, "I spent two years in hell. I want to burn those memories!"

He shot a fiery kick at the blowfish. "Hell Memories!"

The charred blowfish plunged to the plaza below while Sanji burned brightly as the sun in midair. "Scared the guts out of you?" he asked, "You saved me the trouble then. Because when I cook blowfish, I have to take out the toxic organs anyways."

The speaker system clicked on again and Sanji looked up at the sky. "He did it! This time for sure! Luffy-san has defeated Hordy!" someone from above reported, "And Nana-san has started to take apart the ship on her own. And apologies, everyone, for what I'm about to say but this is something Nana-san asked us to read out loud to you once Luffy-san has finished his fight."

He cleared his throat. "'To the citizens of Fishman Island, if you're still listening...-"

There was a sound of a gulp and then a deep breath.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?," he shouted, "Evacuate the island! I'm not breaking down this ship for entertainment so stop watching and get out! As for my nakama, do whatever the hell you guys want but can someone check up Pygmy for me? He's been left on the deck by himself for awhile now so he might have taken a...er...dump. Sorry in advance and no, Nami. I won't pay a fine.' Thus ends the message from Mizu Nana-san. Again, I'm very sorry for the vulgar words but she insisted I read her note verbatim."

_Catcha._

Sanji grinned and made his way back to the ground towards his nakama. "Incoming!" he warned before landing.

"Drop somewhere else, you worthless chef," Zoro grunted.

"Shut up! I'll make someone fall onto you next time," Sanji retorted.

"Oy! Franky. Sanji! One of you guys go clean up after Pygmy," Nami ordered.

"Ow! I'm super not touching whatever that mutt has done," Franky complained from inside his Iron Pirate.

"Chopper, you go do it," Usopp said with a push to the monster form of the reindeer, "You're a fellow animal."

"I use the bathroom like a man!" Chopper roared, raising his fist in the air.

"EEE! Monster!" Usopp shrieked.

"Yohoho. I, for one, do not want to be the first to go back on the ship. I don't think I can handle the smell. Even though I have no nose. Yohohoho!" Brook laughed.

Robin folded her arms across her chest. "Don't worry. I got it…," she said calmly as she produced a clone on the deck of the ship, "Just this once though."

"Thank you, Robin!" the Straw Hats all chorused.

Jimbei folded his arms and raised an eyebrow at the Straw Hats. "So these are Luffy-kun's friends. It's just what I'd expected."


	70. Blood & Glory

"Come on! Come on! Come on!" Nana shouted as she swung her hammer over and over again. She was about a third of her way through the Noah as it drew closer and closer to Fishman Island. She hadn't stopped when Luffy beat Hordy the first time. She certainly didn't stop when that cheap bastard took another handful of his stupid Energy Steroids and she gained more momentum when her captain beat the shark for the second and final time.

"Nana!" Luffy cried as he ran over to her, "Let me help! Between you and me we might be able to make it in time."

"Yes, Captain!" Nana replied, not pausing in her hammer, which had a whirring buzzsaw around the hammer head for maximum damage.

"AHHH! ELEPHANT GATLING!" Luffy shouted as he unleashed a flurry of enlarged, Armament Haki coated punches.

"I already broke the base of it," Nana said as she looked over at her captain, "So it should make it easier to-"

Her eyes widened at the amount of blood seeping out of Luffy's body. "Luffy, you-"

"Luffy-sama, your wound is opening up!" Shirahoshi cried as she swam up to the side of the broken ship.

"Ignore it!" Luffy ordered, "We need to concentrate on destroying this thing right now."

"But-" Shirahoshi protested.

"Understood," Nana said as she put her hammer on her back and turned the dial on both her gloves, "Well, it seems this ship has lightened somewhat. I think it's ready."

"Ready for what?" Luffy asked.

"Just keep punching and don't stop no matter what," Nana replied. as she raised her hands towards bottom of the ship. "Nana Special! Sea Wave!"

She began to pull in the sea from the bottom, creating an upward sea current, and it started to slow down the bubble even more. Nana could feel her heart palpitate as the magnetic force was three times stronger than what she had to use to subdue the waves of Wahino. After all, the ark was bigger than a small island.

"Ahhhhhh!" Luffy shouted as Nana kept her hands out, ignoring all the blood pouring out of her captain.

She strengthened the force on her gloves and the bubble began to slowly move backwards. "Oh my god, it's working!" Nana gasped just as blood came out of her mouth too.

"AH, NANA-SAMA!" Shirahoshi yelled.

"Ignore it, Princess!" Nana shouted, repeating her captain's words, "I'm fine! This is working! Luffy, keep punching! The lighter it gets, the farther I can repel this away."

"AAHHHHHH!" Luffy exclaimed again, his mind already beyond reason.

Shirahoshi looked frantically between the rubber man and the mechanic. There was so much blood, mostly from Luffy-sama, and she didn't know what to do. "Luffy-sama...Nana-sama…" she whimpered, "Help...Help...somebody help them…"

The blood pouring out of the rubber man's torso and dripping from the mechanics lips were bringing back horrible memories of her own mother's death. She squeezed her eyes shut and she clasped her hands over her face. If someone didn't help Luffy-sama, everyone she loves would die.  _Luffy-sama would die! Help them! Somebody help them!_

"Stop."

Shirahoshi's eyes flew open as she watched a group of Sea Kings swim past the Noah. Each of them grabbed one of the chains and began to pull it back even faster. She swam in front of Luffy-sama and Nana-sama and spread her arms out. "Luffy-sama! Please stop! Nana-sama!"

Nana gasped and immediately turned off her dial, to avoid damaging the princess while Luffy continued to punch around her. "What are you talking about, Princess?!" Nana demanded, "If we don't stop people are going to die! Get out of the way!"

"Move, Yowahoshi! I need to destroy the ship before it destroys the island!" Luffy shouted.

The princess bit her lip and grabbed both of them in one hand. "It's already stopped!" she screamed.

Nana and Luffy blinked for a second and then looked at each other. Then they glanced up to see six large Sea Kings staring back at them. Each of them were holding the large chain attached to the ship's hull. "Sea Kings? Why?" Luffy asked.

"I didn't even hear them or see them…" Nana breathed.

"Luffy-sama is angry!" the princess bawled.

"Does it sound like we're angry?!" Nana asked incredulously, "We just want to know what's going on."

The princess bit her lip. "I don't quite understand it either...but the Noah is stopped."

"Everyone…" Luffy rasped as he fell limply against Nana, "Is safe…Thank god."

"Luffy!" Nana cried. He had gone dangerously pale and his shoulder and chest were just drenched in blood. "Princess, do you still have my Buzz-7? Put me and Luffy in! I'll take him back to the island! Our nakama is a doctor."

Shirahoshi lifted the vehicle, which was in the palm of her other hand and she carefully put it through the bubble surrounding Noah and onto the deck. Nana hurriedly pulled Luffy into the passenger seat and climbed into the driver's seat herself. She closed the glass dome over their heads but she didn't even bother with her seatbelt. She zoomed back to the island. Whatever was going on with the Sea Kings, she'd let the Mermaid Princess handle it.

She flew back through the two bubbles and descended to the plaza. She could hear the sounds of the royal guards reporting what had happened and the citizens cheering, which only made her grit her teeth.  _Why did these people just stay? They should've fled. Idiots._

She saw her nakama waving excitedly back at her and she quickly landed right in front of the Sunny. She almost broke through her own glass ceiling since it was not retreating quick enough. "Chopper!" she demanded, pushing Sanji's kissy face away from her, "Luffy needs help! He's bleeding nonstop."

"Luffy!" Nami gasped as Usopp pulled him out of the backseat and onto the floor.

"What the hell happened?!" Zoro demanded.

"The wound is from Hordy. He chomped down on Luffy a couple of times with his shark jaws. As for the bleeding, well, Luffy kept reopening the wounds since he was helping me break apart the Noah," Nana explained.

Sanji's eyes narrowed at her own blood dribbling down her chin. "And your blood?"

Nana held up her gloves and then waved him off. "Occupational hazard. Chopper!"

"This is bad! There are hemostatics in my backpack!," Chopper said from the lap of Robin. He rolled around so he was face down on the floor, "Get it for me, Robin."

"Okay," Robin smiled calmly as she rummaged through his bag.

"Why the hell can't you move, Chopper?!" Nana demanded.

"I'll explain later," Sanji said as he hooked an arm around her waist and pulled him closer to him.

"This makes me worried about how you'll fight from now on, Doctor!" Usopp shouted.

"Okay, go ahead!" Chopper ordered. Robin shoved her hands against his cheeks, to keep his hands free, and hovered him over to Luffy.

"I can stop the bleeding," Chopper diagnosed, "But he already lost a lot of blood. He needs blood."

"Luffy is the only one among us with blood type F," Sanji grumbled and Nana's eyes snapped up to him. "What? What did I say?"

Nana pushed herself from him and began to run through the crowd in the plaza. "I know someone," she shouted.

"Help! Somebody help!" Usopp cried out to the plaza, "Can anybody donate type F blood?!"

Nana's eyes widened when she saw who she was looking for. She hurriedly grabbed the former Fishman Warlord by the arm. "Jimbei! I remember...Back in Law's submarine...He had said that you and Luffy shared the same blood. I remember because he made a cruel comment about how you two were dabbling into his precious supply of F blood. Can you give it?!" Nana rushed, "I-I-I know it's too much to ask since it's illegal for a Fishman to donate blood to a human but-"

Jimbei's hand closed over Nana and he gave her a warm smile. "But I'm a pirate," he finished for her, "Nana-chan, I believe you and I had the same idea."

Nana beamed at him and pulled him through the crowd. "GUYS! GUYS!" When she reached her nakama she dropped her hold on Jimbei and took a step back.

He pulled up his sleeve and nodded at the Straw Hats. "My blood is F. Take mine. Take as much as you need."

"Jimbei!' the Straw Hats cheered.

The Fishman solemnly lied down next to the rubber man as Chopper prepared them for the transfusion. Sanji stood behind Nana and wrapped his arms around her shoulders as she leaned against his hold, with her hammer and backpack by her feet. "Nana," Sanji asked softly, "Are you going to get mad at Luffy like you got mad at me?"

"Of course not," Nana scoffed, "Because Luffy's not going to die from this. I've seen him much worse."

Sanji leaned his head against hers. "I believe you," he murmured into her ear, "And I'm so sorry you had to go through all of that alone."

"No need to apologize for something outside of your control," Nana replied, "And Luffy is the one who actually went through all of it. The most we can do for each other now is to just be in the present. We can't dwell on the past.

Sanji let out a small sigh. "That seems to be the theme of today, hasn't it?"

Nana and Sanji stood quietly as they watched their captain. Suddenly, a grin crept over Luffy's face. "Jimbei," he muttered with his eyes still closed.

"Luffy!" the Straw Hats exclaimed with relief.

"Oh, I didn't realize you were awake," Jimbei replied.

"Shishishishi," Luffy laughed, "Jimbei, join my crew!"

"Maybe someday," Jimbei grunted.

Nana snorted and she nudged Sanji with her elbow. "He's awake. Better start cooking."

"We actually better start leaving," Sanji replied, "Once Luffy is ready we'll need to slip out before everyone swarms on us."

Nana raised an eyebrow. "I thought you'd want to be swarmed by mermaids."

Sanji smiled. "That would be lovely," he admitted, "But being treated like a hero is not Luffy's style. He's not going to want to stay.

"True," Nana said, "Why would anyone want to be a hero? A hero gives away all the best cannons and keeps nothing for himself."

"That's not how you define a hero," Nami couldn't help but interject from the sidelines.

* * *

With the help of Nami's mirage tempo, the Straw Hats were able to slip away from Conchord Plaza without anybody noticing except the Mermaid Princess and Jimbei, but only because those two were invited by Luffy to tag along. They floated above the island and away from the center of the city.

"Why did you have to leave the plaza as though you were running away?" Shirahoshi asked.

"Can't you see? We had to fight with a lot of spectators watching," Zoro growled, "If we stayed, they'd treat us like heroes or something. Just the thought of it makes me shudder."

"Becoming a hero is not a good thing?" Shirahoshi asked.

"Let me tell you something," Zoro insisted, "A hero is someone who will share his own sake with other people. I want to drink all the sake to myself."

"What is wrong with this crew?!" Nami shouted incredulously.

On the other side of the deck, Luffy was also having a difficult time understanding but for something different. "Why can't you join us, Jimbei?" he asked, "Come on an adventure with us. It'll be fun!"

Jimbei sat down against the mast and he smiled grimly at Luffy. "As I said, I can't join you right now but I'm grateful that you asked me. I know it'd be fun to sail with you but there are some things I need to get done first. I have responsibilities to take care of. When I fulfill my duties and am free of them, I promise I will come to see you again. And if you haven't changed your mind then, can I take you up on your offer then?"

"You swear?" Luffy demanded.

"Oy, Luffy," Sanji lectured as he sat on the steps, "When a man talks about his 'duty', you can't press him."

"Jimbei is a man of his word," Nana added with a smile while petting Pygmy near the swing, "If he says he'll do it, he will. No need for him to swear to anything."

"Luffy thinks so highly of you, so we're gonna wait for you, Jimbei!" Franky cheered.

Jimbei bowed his head. "Thank you."

"So now what are we gonna do?" Zoro asked, "Head for the New World?"

Shirahoshi let out a whimper. "What? Are you going to leave the island already? I haven't thanked you properly or get to talk to all of you yet."

"Yosh! Let's stay at the Mermaid Cafe for a week or two!" Sanji shouted as he leapt to his feet.

Nana rolled her eyes but then she chuckled. "They do serve a pretty good beer here in Fishman Island."

"Beer?" Zoro asked, his ears perking up.

"Please wait! Straw Hats!" a voice shouted from a distance. The crew walked curiously to the side of the ship and stuck their heads out to see who it was. "Wait! Straw Hats!"

A royal guard, riding a large fish, came swimming up next to the Thousand Sunny. He had a transponder snail in hand. "King Neptune! I caught up with them!" the guard reported.

"Nice work," came King Neptune's voice through the snail, "Luffy-kun! Why did you leave? I wanted to thank you-"

"I don't want to be a hero!" Luffy interrupted.

"I know. I know," King Neptune chuckled, "Let's just have a banquet. I did originally invite all of you to my palace for a banquet-jamon after all."

"A banquet?!" Luffy exclaimed. His tone switched instantaneously to that of pure joy, "Then I'll be right there! Banquet!"

"Yay! A week at the Mermaid Cafe!" Sanji cheered.

"We're not staying that long!" Nami snapped.

* * *

With a slight detour to pick up Camie, Hatchi, and Pappagu, the Straw Hats docked the Thousand Sunny right outside the palace. There were two long flounders that the king had sent for them to ride to the banquet. The flounders were encased in air bubbles on their backs for the Straw Hats but Nana still felt nervous when they swam into the palace.

She especially felt tense when the doors of the banquet hall opened and they swam into a dark room. Almost immediately, Pygmy rested his head on her knee while Sanji pulled her closer to him by the waist. Even Franky, who was riding on a separate flounder, turned to give her a reassuring thumbs up sign. Nana gave a nervous chuckle.

"Are we really allowed in here?" Camie asked anxiously.

"I've never entered the palace before," Hatchi added.

"What is this place?" Luffy demanded, "What happened to the meat and banquet?"

"I'll shine a light on this situation!" Franky declared as he pulled open his shirt even further, "Nipple-"

"What good would that do?!" Usopp snapped and smacked Franky on the back.

Suddenly, a spotlight shown on the two flounders. "Here they are! Here come the heroes!" a voice called from down below. A dull roar followed soon after. The Straw Hats leaned over the edge of their rides and saw thousands of soldiers standing at the bottom of the room.

"Thank you for saving Fishman Island!" they shouted, "We'll never forget what you did for us!"

"So much for just a simple banquet," Nana quipped.

"Heroes! Heroes! Heroes!" the soldiers chanted.

"Shut up!" Luffy exclaimed, "Stop calling us that! I wanna eat meat!"

"That' right! I wanna drink sake!" Zoro added.

"You idiots," Nami sighed.

Soon the banquet commenced at a spectacular level. There was energetic and delightful music sung by the Fishman Diva, Maria, with her jazz swing band. Mermaid dancers floated and swayed around the stage while equally pretty mermaid dancers served them food and drink. The Straw Hats ate, drank, sang, and danced to their hearts' content.

"Mermaids! So beautiful!" Sanji cheered as he pressed his face against the bubble while Chopper desperately held him back by the leg.

"Sanji! Stop! Control yourself!" he pleaded and then he glared over at the mechanic, "Nana! Come help!"

Nana laughed and raised her pint of beer towards Zoro on the other flounder. "Kanpai!" she shouted.

"Are you even listening?!" Chopper snapped.

Nana brought her cup to her lips but then paused. "It's fine, Chopper. If Sanji loses any more blood, we can always find those two helpful 'ladies' to help take care of him," she said with a smirk before downing her pint, "They did say they were nurses for hire, weren't they?"

Immediately, a shiver ran up Sanji's spine and he started to back away from the bubble.

"Good boy," Nana said without looking over at him.

"Ahhh!" Zoro sighed with content as he wiped his lips with the back of his sleeve, "That sake is really good. I already had it once."

"Ha!" Franky laughed with a sake gourd in his own hand, "I heard you got captured because of that."

Zoro glared at the cyborg. "I had it all under control! I can handle my sake better than anyone here."

Franky grinned. "Is that a challenge?"

Zoro matched his smile. "You think you can beat me?"

"Ow! Don't underestimate me. I am SUPER!" Franky shouted as he leapt to his feet and did his signature pose, "My reputation as the booze hound of Water 7 is legendary! I held a winning streak at the local pub for years!"

Nana's ears twitched and she raised an eyebrow at the swordsman and the cyborg. "Oy," she said as she finished another cup of beer, "Franky, aren't you forgetting something?"

"Huh?" Franky and Zoro asked.

Nana got up to her feet and placed her hand on her hip. "Aren't you forgetting who  _ended_  your winning streak?"

"Oh yeah," Franky said as he rubbed his head, "To be honest, that memory is super foggy."

"Yeah, because of how much we drank," Nana replied and then turned to the nearest mermaid, who Sanji was panting over, "Oy! Give me your biggest bottle of sake. The size that the king drinks from."

"A king size?!" the mermaid gasped.

"Make it three!" Franky and Zoro shouted at the same time.

"Four!"

They all stopped and turned to Nami, who was already quite rosy cheeked. She laughed and tossed her empty cup over the side of the flounder. "Four! If any of you guys beat me, I'll forgive half the debt you owe me but if I win, I double all of yours."

"It'll be like taking candy from a baby," Zoro said as he noticed how wobbly Nami was just from sitting down.

"Or like locking Zoro up when he's already had a few drinks in him," Nana snorted.

"I let myself out, didn't I?!"

"Yosh!" Franky cheered as the mermaid came back with a couple of friends, each of them holding a bottle as big as they were, "Let's do this!"

"Kanpai!" Nami, Nana, Zoro, and Franky shouted.

"Go Franky! Go, Big Bro!" Usopp and Chopper cheered.

"Oy, you shitty morimo. If you cause any damage to Nana and Nami-swan's precious livers, I will make you pay!" Sanji threatened.

Bottle after bottle was thrown off the side of the flounders with no signs of slowing down. Nana already had a sneaking suspicion that Nami was over-exaggerating her level of intoxication so she wasn't surprised when the navigator was still in the battle while Franky was the first to bow out.

"Ow! You guys are super monsters," he cried as he fell onto his back with a loud  _Clang!_

"Old man," Nana chuckled and then gestured for another bottle while tossing her empty one off the side.

"Another?" the mermaids gasp, "But...that was our last bottle. You've drank our entire supply."

"WHAT?!" Nami exclaimed, "Then how do we know who won?!"

"Well, I've had like 12 or 15 beers before the challenge so…" Nana said slyly.

"Oy! If that's the case, then I'm counting the sake that I drank earlier," Zoro growled.

"No. You took a nap in that prison cell so you slept it off. Doesn't count!" Nana snapped.

"You fell asleep earlier today too!" Zoro shot back.

"I was unconscious from the drowning. Not the same!"

"I'm with Nana!" Sanji cheered.

"Shocker," Zoro grumbled.

"No! Both of those don't count. We should just call it a tie and only Franky is the loser," Nami sighed, rubbing her temple as all the alcohol was beginning to hit her.

"I'm with Nami-swan!"

"PICK A SIDE!" Chopper and Usopp seethed at Sanji.

"Whew, I need to sober up," Nami said as she patted her cheeks.

Zoro stretched out his arms. "It does seem like a good time to take a nap."

"There's a terrace right outside the banquet hall," a mermaid suggested and handed them a Bubbly Coral, "I can take you there if you guys need some fresh air."

"Oh! You are kind as you are beautiful," Sanji swooned.

Nana, who was starting to feel a strong buzz, walked with a slight sway towards the cook and threw her arm over his shoulder. "You like to play with fire, don't you, cook?" she said with a raised eyebrow and then she planted a firm kiss on his lips. "Don't forget who you belong to."

Franky put a heavy palm to his face and got up to his feet. "I forgot how possessive Nana gets when she's drunk," he said, "Ow! I remember this one time, she almost ripped my hand off for petting Pygmy."

With the sound of the pet's name, Nana let go of Sanji and wrapped her arms around the canine. "Pygmy will never forget who he belongs to. Never!"

Pygmy barked happily and licked her face.


	71. Ascension

Zoro, Nana, Pygmy, Sanji, Nami, Chopper, and Usopp all decided to get some fresh air while the other Straw Hats continued their festivities. The mermaid was kind enough to show them a terrace that overlooked the palace grounds and was encased in an air bubble for their human breathing needs.

Nami relaxed and sat leaning on her hands. Usopp's stomach was larger than a bowling ball as he sprawled on the terrace with his limbs extended. Zoro started to make a nice little snoring bubble while he napped.

Chopper and Pygmy were having a hard time keeping Nana away from Sanji. In her drunken state, she was trying hard to wrap her arms and legs around him like an octopus, which would in turn cause him to nose bleed. Pygmy pulled Nana away by her backpack while Chopper stood in front of her in his arm point just in case she broke free and he had to run interception.

"Nana! Aren't you afraid of killing Sanji?!" Chopper shrieked.

"You can't have him!" Nana snapped, "He's mine!"

"Yes...Yes...Don't interfere, Chopper," Sanji swooned, "Come to me, Nana!"

"I'm not trying to take  _him_!" Chopper snapped, "I'm trying to take  _you_!"

"You can't have me!" Nana replied taking a small step back, "I'm mine!"

Hot steams shot out of Chopper's nostrils. "THAT DOESN'T EVEN MAKE SENSE!"

"Oh! You guys are here too?"

Everyone except the sleeping swordsman turned to see their captain with a large plate of food balanced on his head and Jimbei walking next to him. Luffy's eyes lit up when he saw Chopper, Nana, Sanji, and Pygmy. "Ooh! Are you guys playing a game? I want in!"

"Luffy, have you forgotten why we came out here?" Jimbei sighed, "I'm trying to explain to you the state of the world."

"The state of the world?" Chopper, Nami, and Usopp asked.

"Aha!" Nana cried victoriously as she ditched her backpack and ran past Chopper. She tackled Sanji to the ground by the waist and clung onto him like a child. "MINE!"

"AH! I got distracted!" Chopper wailed.

"Oy! I said I want in! Nana, you can't just start the game without warning," Luffy huffed and stamped his feet.

"Pay attention!" Nami lectured and punched Luffy hard on the head, "This is important! Chopper, just ignore those two. Sanji-kun seems to be back to normal so I'm sure it'll be fine."

Nana buried her face into Sanji's chest. "Mine," she murmured, "All mine."

"Ah," Sanji said as he stroked her hair and then kissed the top of her head, "Yours."

"Watch it, Nami!" Luffy huffed as he set his food down on the floor and began to eat, "What if I had dropped my food?"

Nami gave out a loud and exasperated sigh as she motioned for Jimbei to talk. He looked at her with uncertainty but sat down on the floor anyways. "I wonder how much you know already, Luffy. Have you heard about Akainu and Aokiji's epic fight?"

"WHAT?!" Luffy exclaimed through his stuffed cheeks, "Akainu and Aokiji had a big fight?!'

"That's what i thought," Jimbei sighed, "Rayleigh is terrible. He didn't tell you anything during your two years of training?"

Luffy shook his head.

"I knew about it! I knew!" Chopper boasted.

"Right after the war two years ago," Jimbei explained to a confused Luffy, "Fleet Admiral Sengoku resigned. He recommended Aokiji to be his successor since he was very popular with his own men but a lot of the higher levels favored Akainu so he became a major contender. Normally, Aokiji doesn't show passion but he hated the idea of Akainu becoming the Fleet Admiral. They stood against each other and the first-ever feud between the Admirals erupted into a battle on an island somewhere. Whoever lost would withdraw his candidacy and the winner would lead the Navy. The battle lasted for over ten days...bBut as we now know, Akainu won."

"Akainu," Luffy growled as his hand went to the scar on his chest, "Did Aokiji die?"

Jimbei shook his head. "Akainu, who is usually pitiless, showed Akainu mercy but Aokiji refused to work with Akainu and left the Navy."

"So Aokiji is no longer part of the Navy?" Luffy asked in surprise.

Jimbei nodded. "Listen, here are the two important things you need to keep in mind. These are big changes that have occurred in the New World in the last two years. First, the Navy Headquarters led by Sakazuki has become an even more powerful force for justice and second...the Blackbeard Pirates have advanced."

Sanji felt Nana's arms tighten around him and he looked down at her. He was surprised to see worried eyes looking back at him. "Blackbeard," she whispered, "Akainu."

"What's wrong, Nana?" Sanji asked.

"Rumor has it that they are on the hunt for Devil Fruit eaters. They can somehow acquire a Devil Fruit's power even after already eaten one. They are looking for strong devil fruits so be careful," Jimbei warned.

"Oh no!" Chopper shrieked.

"I don't think they'll want your human-human fruit," Usopp replied.

"They won-EEP!" Chopper yelped just as Nana came racing past him, knocking over Usopp and Nami in the process. She grabbed onto the back of Luffy, who was already back to eating his plate of food.

"They can't have you," she said stubbornly, "You're my captain. MINE!"

"Oy, Nana!" Luffy choked as he tried to loosen her grip around his stomach, "Let me eat! This food is delicious!"

"Luffy!" Jimbei snapped, "Are you even listening? I thought you were the captain! You have to know a little bit of information at least!"

"What?" Chopper gasped, "I thought captains normally don't listen to other people."

"Captains are responsible for their crew's safety! Aren't they, Luffy?!" Jimbei lectured.

"Take it easy," Luffy laughed, "I like taking chances anyway."

Jimbei hung his head in despair. "It must be so hard working for him."

Nami, Sanji, Chopper, and Usopp all nodded in agreement, while Nana was immediately on her feet. Her whole body was stiff and her eyes were closed

"You feel it too, Nana?" Luffy asked and stood up as well, "Zoro, Sanji...I think there is a wild animal or something in this place."

"I think you're right," Sanji said.

"No...Not a wild animal. It's...," Nana murmured as Zoro woke up with a scowl.

"It's what?" Luffy asked.

She opened her eyes and a glint of danger flashed over them. A devilish grin spread over Nana's face. "It's mine."

* * *

Caribou cackled victoriously and lashed his tongue. His swamp was slowly enveloping his rather large prize. "Don't look so resentful, Princess-sama!" he crowed to Shirahoshi, "I was content with taking the treasures rather than the mermaids but you are an exception! I just need you to be unconscious for awhile!"

"Oy…"

Caribou turned his head and glared. "Not now, Straw Hat! I'm in the middle of something!"

He turned back to his prey and continued to cackle. "Nya-nya-nya-GACK!"

He stopped mid laugh and looked back at Luffy, who was flanked by Zoro and Sanji. "STRAW HAT?!" he shrieked.

"AHHHHHH!" came a distant voice that was getting louder and louder by the second.

Nana and Pygmy rounded the corner with her hammer in hand. "I said," she thundered, "HE'S MINE!"

_Thwack!_

Her hammer hit him in the jaw with a sickening crunch and it sent him sailing not just out of the palace, but the palace bubble too.

"Luffy-sama! Nana-sama!" Princess Shirahoshi wept as she grabbed Luffy for comfort.

Nana glared at Zoro, who had one hand on his sword hilt. "You were going to attack him when I specifically told you that  _I_  was going to get him," she said.

"It's not my fault you got lost," Zoro scoffed.

"What?! I didn't get lost, you idiot! I had to take the longer way because I couldn't swim through the shortcut," Nana snapped, "And don't accuse  _me_  of getting lost. Even a broken log pose is more reliable than you."

"Sanji could've dragged you through it like I did with Luffy," Zoro said.

"Pass."

The Minister of the Right and King Neptune came rushing towards them with Nami, Franky, and Chopper following closely behind. When the Minister got close enough, he knelt at Luffy's feet. "That was a close one. Thank you all again for coming to our rescue."

"Don't mention it," Luffy grinned.

"I can't believe the treasure thief was still here. We usually don't even let a tiny fish into this place but with the whole commotion of battle, we had accidentally left the gates open," the Minister explained and then he pointed towards a very familiar tower of the palace, "Look! That tower on the right has been sliced clean through. I assume the thief did that while we were here."

"Nope, all this guy," Nana corrected and jutted a thumb at Zoro.

"You didn't need to tell him that, Nana!" Zoro growled.

"You didn't  _need_  to cut through the tower! Just the bars and cage!" Nana spat back.

"And you were worried that Zoro was getting too close to Nana during that time…" Chopper muttered to Sanji, who was watching the spat with glee.

"HOLD IT!" Nami interrupted, "Excuse me, Minister of the Right-chan."

"Chan?!" the Minister said with a sweat drop down his face.

"Did you say 'treasure thief'?" Nami asked.

"I have a bad feeling about this…" Nana, Luffy, and Zoro gulped.

"Yes, he stole all the treasure in the palace," the Minister explained.

Nami turned to the king. "And you're not going to get them back?!"

"After seeing my people's lives be saved, treasures mean nothing to me-jamon," the king replied.

"No! They're worth something!" Nami argued and then a greedy smile came over her face, "Does this mean we can keep it if we find it?!"

King Neptune nodded. "It would be wonderful if people who saved the country had them-jamon."

"Yayyy!" Nami cheered and then quickly flipped into a money monster. She bunched up her fist and glared at the monster trio. "You fools! Why did you kick him out?! Why didn't you just punch him and tie him up here?!"

"It wasn't us! It was-" Zoro started to say but he could finish her sentence, Nami's fist had collided with his face and he was sent flying out the same way as Caribou.

Nami did the same with Sanji and Luffy and then she turned to Nana, who quickly held out her hammer. "Don't even think about it," Nana warned and then she rubbed the back of her head, "But I'll go get my Buzz-7. I can at least help carry some of the treasure back once the guys locate him."

"Ow! Actually, Nana-brat, I need you to super come with me," Franky quickly interjected and scooped her up with his giant robot hand, "Once we leave, we have to go back up to the surface and it's our responsibility to look after Sunny-go."

"Okay," Nana said as she slumped over Franky's metal shoulders, "I'm starting to get a headache anyways."

* * *

"It is very nice to finally sit down and speak with you," Den said as he crossed his arms and grinned at Nana from across the table. Nana, Franky, and Den were all relaxing in the dining room after Den had given Nana and Franky a full rundown on how to get the ship back onto the surface, "I've read so much about you from Kokoro's letters that I feel like I know you already."

"The old hag?" Nana asked, "She's been writing to you? What she say about me?"

"Are you really that interested in what Kokoro has to say?" Den asked. He pulled out a handful of papers and he slid it over to Nana, "I'd thought you'd be more interested in  _his_ letters."

"His?" Nana looked down at the paper and gasped. She recognized Iceberg's handwriting almost immediately.

"Kokoro has been sending his letters along with hers to me ever since you two left Water 7," Den explained while Nana started to read through everything.

_Den-san,_

_I hope you are well. I've never had the pleasure to meet you and unless you have a sudden urge to leave the Sea Forest and come to Water 7, I don't think we'll ever have a chance to meet. With that said, you will most likely meet my friend and Tom-san's apprentice, Franky. More importantly, you will also meet my adopted daughter, Nana._

_Those two have joined the Straw Hat Pirates and are on their way to the New World. His captain has expressed interest in going to Fishman Island. Although I'm not sure if that has changed, I'm writing to you in hopes that if you get a chance to see Franky and Nana, you'll let them know that Water 7 is doing well. Everyone is doing great._

_That's all I wanted to say to them and I would greatly appreciate passing on this message._

_Sincerely,_

_Iceberg_

Nana looked at the top corner and noticed that it was dated sometime right before Thriller Bark. She smiled to herself and then flipped to the second page.

_Den-san,_

_Just wanted to check-in to see if there was any news of Franky and Nana. There has been reports of up and coming rookie pirates. I'm sure you have read it in the newspaper. I don't know if you are aware but Nana has a pretty high initial bounty herself. I just want to make sure she hasn't gotten herself into any unnecessary trouble. I'm sure you'll understand my concern. Please let me know as soon as you've seen her._

_Sincerely,_

_Iceberg_

The second letter was dated during their time at Saobody. Nana bit her lip and flipped to the third page.

_Den-san,_

_I don't know if you are aware but Nana is on the front page of the newspaper today. I've mentioned before that she and Franky had joined the Straw Hat Pirates. Monkey D. Luffy is her captain and the one featured in the photo. Nana is the one pictured in the back and somehow her bounty has risen again. Please let me know as soon as you see her._

_Sincerely,_

_Iceberg_

_Den-san,_

_It's been over a year since Nana and Franky have left Water 7. They should've passed by Fishman Island by now. Have you heard of any news on your end? Do you think they are foolish enough to go through Mariejois?_

_Sincerely,_

_Iceberg_

Nana felt a big bag of guilt drop in her stomach. She continued to read letter after letter from Iceberg to Den in the last two years. They were getting more and more frantic as time progressed. When she finished reading all the letters, she jumped up to her feet and ran out of the room.

"Ow! Nana-brat!" Franky called after her.

"Let her go," Den said calmly.

She returned after almost twenty minutes with a fistful of her own pages. She folded them in half and handed it to Den. "Please give this to Iceberg. It should stop him from worrying...Or at least I hope so."

"Ow, Nana-brat, what did you write?" Franky asked as Den tucked it safely away.

Nana grinned. "You know. The usual. Hey. How are ya? Do you miss me yet? Stop worrying about me. I'm fucking awesome and we're all fine." She crossed her arms over her chest and then frowned, "I didn't tell him about where we've been and what happened in the last two years though. It'll only make him worry even more."

"Then what are all those pages then?" Franky asked.

Nana's grin returned to her face. "My blueprints. I figured that should be evidence enough for Iceberg to know that I'm doing fine and progressing."

Franky shot a worried look over at Nana's gloves.

"Don't worry," Nana said, catching his glance, "It's just for Buzz-7, the upgrades to my hammer, and a couple of cannon ideas. Everything about the gloves I've burned already."

She tapped her head. "If anyone wants it, they'll need to look for it in here."

"You sure you don't want to tell Bakaberg about everything that has happened? I'm sure he'll want to know," Franky said, "I feel like you sending a vague letter back will only worry him more."

"Oh, I didn't keep it all vague. I did tell him some stuff."

"Like what?"

"Like how I'm going to marry Sanji."

_Thud!_

Franky fell out of his chair and he lifted his sunglasses so he could look the mechanic directly in the eye. "Are you still drunk?!"

Nana laughed and looked into the deep fish tank that surrounded the room. "No, I'm thinking very clearly."

"Did he propose?! That bastard. Didn't even ask this Big Bro for permission," Franky huffed.

Nana shook her head. "No, he didn't," she said, "But I'm going to spend the rest of my life with that man whether he likes it or not."

"I don't think he'll have any complaints," Franky said as he started to get red around the nose.

"Franky...You, Iceberg, Paulie, everyone...You're all family to me but Sanji...Sanji is different. Whenever I'm with him I feel like I'm..."

"Like what?"

"Like I'm home," Nana stated and then she took in a deep breath, "This might sound crazy but to me, Sanji is my home."

"I get it, Nana-brat," Franky sniffled, "I super get it."

"Ha. Why are crying?" Nana laughed without taking her eyes off of the swimming fishes.

"I'm not crying! You are!" Franky blubbered as tears spilled out of his eyes.

* * *

"What?! We've declared war on a Yonko?!" Nana gasped the next day when the Straw Hats have all returned to the Thousand Sunny and ready to set sail.

"I know, right?!" Usopp sobbed dramatically, "We're in so much trouble and we haven't even stepped foot in the New World."

"Come on! Where's your fighting spirit?" Nami asked with a slap on Usopp's back, "We'll fight her and then get our treasure back!"

"Is that all you're thinking about?!" Chopper yelled

"Are you super surprised?" Franky grinned.

"We're doomed," Usopp continued to weep. He fell to his knees and his tears began to pool around him, "One of the Yonko wants to kill us. We're going to the New World just to die."

"Oh please," Nana scoffed and she lifted Usopp up by his collar with one hand. His waterfall like tears continued to pour, "Luffy can't be the King of Pirates without taking down a Yonko or two."

"Why aren't you more worried?!" Usopp wailed as he grabbed Nana's shirt with his hands, "What happened to the cautious Nana?!"

"I am being realistic," Nana said and smacked his hands away off of her, "Besides, we didn't train for two years for nothing. Have more faith."

"Ah! A new Log Pose?!" came Nami's exclaim and Nana dropped Usopp onto the ground. SHe walked over to the navigator to take a look at the new band Nami was wearing. It had three compasses instead of just one.

The catfish minister, who had given Nami this upgraded device, nodded. "From now on, it would only take half a day to record logs. On the second half of the Grand Line, there are some island that change their magnetic waves. For some islands, the magnetic waves suddenly disappear. That's why you have three compasses. They each record the magnetic waves of different islands. That means you can choose whichever your gut decides. A good navigator can tell which is the safest route to take by looking at the slight movement of the needles. The wider the movement, the more dangerous the island is."

"You'll see if it's dangerous?!" Chopper cried.

"Quick! Break that Log Pose!" Usopp exclaimed.

"Why?! It's going to help you avoid danger!" the Minister asked in confusion.

"Eh?" Luffy asked as he stretched his neck around Nami for a closer look, "Let's see."

"D-dammit!" Usopp yelled.

"That one in the middle is wobbling a lot. That must mean there's a party going on in that direction," Luffy grinned.

"He was listening," Chopper and Nami both moaned dejectedly.

"All right, everyone! We're all set to go!" Franky shouted from the top deck, "Nana-brat! Get to your position."

"Everybody, come visit us when you get back!" sang out a group of mermaids.

"Yes! I will come back. You are the 'All Blue' of my dreams!" Sanji swooned as he blew out kisses to them left and right.

"What a cheap dream," Zoro scoffed.

"HUH?!" Sanji snarled in anger. He turned to land a kick on the swordsman but then he stiffened in mid-turn when something caught his eye.

The three princes and a handful of royal guards were surrounding Nana, who was beaming back at them.

"They wanted to give you their thanks," Fukaboshi, the shark merman, said gruffly.

The royal guards, who were the ones with Nana up in the Air Tank, blushed slightly and one of them handed Nana a wrapped present. "Thank you, Nana-san, for all your work and also the improvements you made to our facility."

"Don't even mention it. I actually learned a thing or two from your air filtration system. It's well built," Nana replied, "So in a way, we're square."

"Be sure to come back and we'll throw another banquet. A dancing one! Ooh mambo, akkamambo!" Manboshi cheered.

"With great music - Re-Mi-Fa-So-La-Ti-Do!" Ryuboshi sang.

Nana laughed but suddenly she felt someone grab her wrist. She turned to see Sanji narrowing his eyes at the three princes. "She only dances with me," he said as he huffed on his cigarette and pulled her away.

Nana blinked. "Are you...jealous?!"

"I hate to point this out to you, Sanji-san," Brook said kindly, "But you don't really have a leg to stand on with this. Although, my legs are just bones at this point. Yohohoho!"

Sanji scowled. "I just don't want those guys to-"

He was cut off by a peck on the cheek from Nana. She smiled at him to let him know she didn't mind his jealous actions and then proceeded to open her gift. It was a Bubbly Coral. She grinned back at the royal guards and waved to them. "Thank you! I will definitely find a good use for this!"

"Ow! Nana-brat!"

"Duty calls," Nana sighed as she ran to pull up the anchor.

"Yosh! Here we go!" Franky called from the wheel as they set off.

"Come and eat sweets anytime!" a Fishman called out.

"I like humans now! Oh! And raccoons and robots!" another Fishman shouted.

"We like bones!" a group of mermaids called out.

"Thank you for your concern!" Brook cried back, "Yohohoho!"

_Splash!_

Shirahoshi broke through the surface of the water and she grabbed onto the side of the ship, holding it in place. "Luffy-sama!" she whimpered, "If I can see you again someday...I promise I won't be a crybaby! Take me out for a fun stroll again.

"A stroll? Do you wanna go to your mother's grave again?" Luffy asked.

Nana snorted. "Hancock's going to have a real shock on what Luffy constitutes a nice date," she muttered under her breath.

Shirahoshi shook her head. "I want to go further next time. I want to go to a real forest above ground!"

"Oh yeah, you've never been out of the sea, have you?" Luffy asked and then he grinned, "Okay! Next time. I'll take you there!"

Tears of happiness filled up the mermaid princess' giant eyes. She stuck out her pinky towards the Straw Hat. "Do you promise?" she breathed.

"Yeah! Trust me!" Luffy laughed and wrapped his rubberized pinky around hers, "I promise."

"Wait, Luffy," Nami said, "This promise involves us too!"

"That's right, Luffy-san," Brook added, "A promise is something you have to keep at any cost and we will help you keep it."

"Then Shirahoshi, I promise you too!" Nami said and offered up her pinky.

"Nami-chin-san!" Shirahoshi gasped in delight.

"Of course you can count on me too," Sanji said and put his hand in.

"Me too!"

"Me too!'

One by one the Straw Hats all stepped forward to make that promise. Everyone, that is, except Nana.

Shirahoshi glanced nervously at the mechanic, who was looking at Shirahoshi sternly. "I don't deal with cowards," she said bluntly.

Shirahoshi's hand jerked back for a little bit and she looked on the verge of tears.

"Oy! Nana! What the hell is your problem?!" Luffy snapped.

Nana kept her eyes fixed on the mermaid and then she broke into a smile. "So I can definitely make that promise to you, Princess," she clarified, "After all, you were brave enough to lure the Noah out of the way all by yourself and was brave enough to stand up to Hordy."

"Nana-san…" the princess breathed as Nana placed her pinky on the princess'.

"Now that we've all promised, we won't let you down," Nana grinned.

"We promise!" the Straw Hats all cheered.

As the Straw Hats sailed away, the Mermaid Princess waved happily to them. Soon, even the giant beauty turned into a small dark speck as they sailed deeper and deeper across the sea floor. Nana threw out the hollowed out Banyan square logs that would help pull them to the surface.

All the Straw Hats looked up at the sea above them. It looked just like the sea that they entered from but they all felt the difference. This was a new sea. The sea of the New World.

"If we ascend here…" Luffy said and pulled off his hat, "This will be the same sea Shanks is at! Once we pass through this, we'll get to the ultimate sea!"

Zoro held up his swords. "Finally! I'll cut anything that gets in our way."

"Wait for me, Laboon! One more half to go!" Brook yelled out.

"Count on me," Nami boasted, "I'll navigate our way through this!"

"That's right," Franky cheered, "The Sunny can handle it!"

"I'll heal you, no matter how wounded you are!" Chopper offered.

"You'll never go hungry while I'm here," Sanji added.

"You've got the warrior of the sea here too!" Usopp cried.

"I've got the weapons to get you out of any trouble! I've got your backs!" Nana shouted.

Robin laughed and Pygmy barked in their support.

"Let's go!" Luffy roared, "Guys! TO THE NEW WORLD!"


	72. Drawing Straws

"No! I object completely, you shitty swordsman!" Sanji yelled at the swordsman, who was in the middle of collecting back the straws he had just handed out.

"Don't blame me for your own bad luck, Curly Brow!" Zoro snapped as he snatched Sanji's straw out of his hand, "It is not my fault you drew the shortest straw."

"B-B-B-B-But…" Sanji started to blubber as he turned to Nana with tears welling up in his eyes, "I wanted to spend tonight with Nana!"

He sank to his knees and started to pound the deck with his fists. "Why?! Why must God curse me at a time like this? Why must I be on night watch duty tonight?!"

_Kaboom!_

The sudden sound of a thunder crash sent Usopp flying into Franky's arms. "EEK! You're going to incur the wrath of God if you do that, Sanji! Don't make God angry!"

"Ah! God is angry!" Chopper shrieked.

Franky released his hold and Usopp crashed hard onto the ground. "Relax. It's just a light thunderstorm."

Nami nodded and looked out the window. "Yeah. It should clear up by morning. "

Nana gave a defeated shrug and offered a hand to help Sanji up. "It's okay. It's just for tonight...and then you won't have to do it for another week."

Sanji clasped his hands around hers. "But tonight would be our first night together again, Nana!"

"Technically," Usopp said thoughtfully while he scratched his chin, "The first night would be when we came down to Fishman Island and you were all hooked up to all those IV bags."

"NO! That doesn't count!" Sanji snapped at the sniper.

"Then the first night would be when we all slept over at Camie's place after the banquet," Chopper said.

"No! That doesn't count either!" Sanji roared and he looked back at Nana, "This could've been our first night  _alone_  together, Nana!"

"Gross," Zoro muttered under his breath.

"HUH?! What did you say, you shitty morimo?!" Sanji exclaimed, turning an extreme 180. He dropped his hold on Nana and tried to land a kick on the green haired swordsman, "I have important matters to discuss with Nana. Get your head out of the gutter!"

He regrabbed Nana's hands and started to cry again. "N-N-Nana," he blubbered, "I wanted to talk to you while we were resurfacing but between the Whitestrom, the sea of whales, and the Maubeugemour Sea, I just didn't get a chance. There's...There's so many things I wanted to tell you. It's not fair!"

"Why are you acting like she's dying?!" Usopp snapped, "You can always talk tomorrow."

"I mean, I can always stay up with you," Nana said with a bemused look on her face, "It's not like we can't talk during your night watch."

Sanji shook his head fervently, "You need your rest, Nana! I will not have you mess up your precious sleep schedule because of me."

"You know, I have been taking care of myself for the last two years," Nana said as she ruffled his hair, "Don't need you to check up on me every night anymore, Prince Charming."

"I guess that's true," Sanji said with a smile.

"So I'll meet you up on the Crow's Nest in about an hour?" Nana asked.

"Ah, it's a date."

"Gross."

"Say that louder and to my face, marimo!"

Sanji sat with his arms outstretched and legs wide as he sat thoughtfully in the crow's nest. His newly lit cigarette rested on his lips while his ashtray rested on his knee. He was waiting on Nana to come and join him but he was also slightly thankful she was not quite here yet. He had no idea where to begin. Should he start with where he was these past two year? Or should he tell her what he found out from Ivankov about her family? Would she even want to know?

"Penny for your thoughts."

Sanji looked up in surprise to see Nana standing in front of him with a large thermos in hand. "Nana, I didn't even hear or even sense you...How did you-?"

"I learned how to suppress my presence so that it would be harder for Haki users to track me," Nana said as she flopped down next to him. It was amazing to Sanji that, without even trying, she fit so naturally under the crook of his arm.

"You didn't bring Pygmy up here?" Sanji asked.

"Didn't feel like carrying him," Nana admitted, "Plus he seems pretty attached to Franky since we've been back. I think Pyg really missed him"

She unscrewed the lid of the metal thermos and poured hot chocolate into the lid. She took a deep whiff and then sighed with content. "I hope you don't mind I used the kitchen," she said.

"If you needed me to make something, I could've-" Sanji started to say.

"No. You couldn't make  _this_ hot chocolate," she said and took a sip, "This is my special hot chocolate. I used to make it for me and Icy every time Aqua Laguna came by and we were stuck indoors for the night.

"May I?" Sanji asked and took the cup from her hands. He tasted just a small bit of it and he looked thoughtfully up at the ceiling, "Cinnamon...chili powder...and...there's something else in there."

"Gunpowder," Nana admitted and Sanji almost dropped the cup, "Barely any but it's there. Not enough for it to be toxic, of course, but I wouldn't recommend drinking more than a cup."

"How did you learn how to make this?" Sanji asked.

Nana shrugged. "Just something I always knew. Probably something my biological parents taught me."

Sanji's face turned solemn and he cleared his throat.  _I guess I better to tell her._ "I-"

"I found out about my father. He worked for the revolutionary army."

Now Sanji did drop the cup but that was so he could grab Nana by the shoulders to look her directly in the eyes. "How? Did Ivankov end up telling you after all? That lying bastard told me he didn't tell you a word!"

"Ivankov? The man who Luffy broke out of Impel Down?" Nana asked curiously and tilted her head, "How do you know Ivankov?"

"That man put me through hell these last two years," Sanji growled, "But that's not important. Who told you about your father?"

"Shakky…" Nana said softly, "When I first returned to Saobody. It's also how I found out about Luffy and the War. Shakky and Rayleigh filled me in."

Suddenly, Nana felt Sanji's arms around her shoulders and he pushed her face close to his chest. He buried his face in her hair. "I'm so sorry I didn't come back in time. What you must've gone through...what you had to face all by yourself…"

"Well, I had Pygmy with me and Luffy for some of it...But you seemed to have faced some pretty rough stuff on your end," Nana chuckled and looked up at the cook, "Where were you, Prince Charming?"

Sanji brushed a loose hair away from Nana's face and he sighed. "After that fight in Sabaody, I woke up days later in what I thought was a lap of a beautiful woman…"

Sanji and Nana spent the rest of the night recounting what they had done since they were split apart. Sanji told her about the island, the nauseating inhabitants, and what he had achieved from his training there. He also told her exactly what Ivankov had told him about her father.

In return, Nana told him about shaka time, saving Luffy, her battles in the Amazon Lily tournaments, and everything else in between. Everything, that is, except her deal with Law. She knew if Sanji found out about the deal, he would be very upset and she would rather not start an unnecessary squabble with the Heart Pirates. After all, she did give Law her word and she would stick by it.

"So you fought all those women, huh?" Sanji asked while he ran a hand over Nana's arm, inspecting every scar and scratch, "You must've sustained so many injuries."

Nana snorted. "Not as bad as my opponents. Once I got the hang of Observation Haki, it was pretty easy to dodge the attacks."

"What about your Armament Haki?"

Nana frowned. "It still needs work but as long as I have my gloves, I should be okay to handle Devil Fruit users."

"What if you don't have your gloves?" Sanji pressed as he reached for her hands, "What then?"

Nana grinned. "Then I guess I'll have to rely on my nakama to help me get out of that pinch."

"Nana," Sanji said solemnly, "I'm serious. With what we know about your father, there's a good chance that not just the Navy but the revolutionary army would want your gloves too. Imagine if they were able to mass produce it like those PX-shits…"

Nana lightly knocked her forehead against Sanji's while she kept the grin on her face. "Idiot. Why do you think I made the Buzz-7, my wings, and coated my hammer with Sea Prism Stone? I got it covered. It'll take a lot for someone to take me down, okay? Besides, I got my secret weapon."

"Which is?"

"You," she replied and threw her arms around his neck, "I'll always have you."

They kissed with smiles on both of their lips and when they pulled away, Nana's smile turned into a mischievous grin. "And Franky...And Pygmy...And Luffy...And Zoro...and Usopp-sama...and-"

"No need," Sanji growled as he pulled her in for another kiss. She giggled against his hold but didn't fight it, "You'll just need me."

"Ah," she said as she broke the kiss and rested her head against his shoulder, "Just you."

* * *

"Oy! Nami!" Usopp whined the next day as he tightened his rain poncho around his head, "I thought you said this thunderstorm was going to be over in the morning. It's been a full 24 hours already and it's only gotten heavier!"

Nami glared at the sniper from under a doorframe, "It did end. It's not my fault another one came in an hour later."

"A scarier one," Chopper whimpered as thunder and lightning crashed and flashed from all around them. The Thousand Sunny lurched from side to side as the aggravated waves flung them every which way.

"Don't worry. The Thousand Sunny can take it!" Franky cheered with enthusiasm from the steering wheel.

"Nana, can't you calm the waves down just a little?" Usopp begged, "Use your gloves."

"For this?" Nana scoffed in her own raincoat while Sanji pushed her on the swings.

"How can you two be so casual during a time like this?!" Usopp snapped.

"Relax. This is nothing compared to shaka time," Nana said, "Besides all this movement is making the swing go higher! It feels like I'm flying."

"You already can fly!" Usopp cried.

"Yahoooo!" Luffy cheered just as a very strong wave sent them sailing up into the sky, "Onwards!"

"EEEK! Now we're all flying!" Chopper shrieked.

Being sent so high in the air, the Straw Hats could see the silhouette of an island further into the distance with a reddened sea surrounding it. Nami shot a fearful look at her Log Pose. "An island?! But none of the needles are pointing at it…"

_Boom! Splash!_

The Thousand Sunny fell back onto the water just as a volcano erupted from the center of the island. The lava poured out and gave the island an ominous red glow. The sea around the island was also in flames. Half of the crew looked anxiously towards it while the leader of the other half went sprinting towards the front of the ship to get a better look. "Oooh! Let's go explore!" Luffy exclaimed.

"Wait! We can't!" Nami shouted sternly.

"Why? There is a volcano! It looks like fun!" Luffy cried.

"Listen to me, Luffy," Nami insisted, "None of the needles are pointing at it. It's too peculiar even for the New World."

"Who cares about needles?!" Luffy hollered, "It's a volcano over there."

"Even if we could, we can't move any further. The sea is on fire!" Nami argued.

"Shishishishishi," Luffy grinned and not hearing a word of it.

"Waaaaaa….Waaaaa…."

The entire pirate crew, including Pygmy, turned to look at each other when the sound of someone sobbing started to come from the kitchen. "Huh?"

"The Transponder Snail?" Nana asked as they all started running towards the noise. They crowded around the weeping snail that was howling uncontrollably on the end table in the kitchen.

"Oy, Chopper. Heal him. I think the Transponder Snail has a stomach ache!" the pirate captain ordered.

"Fool. That's an emergency signal," Sanji said as he lit a cigarette, "Somebody's calling for help."

"Don't pick it up!" Robin hurriedly warned, "Half of those calls are fake. This call could be tapped by the Navy to find our location!"

"Way to go, Robin," Usopp sighed with relief, "Luffy, we should just igno-"

_Clank._

"Hello! My name is Monkey D. Luffy! I will be the King of Pirates!"

_Thwack!_

"You said too much too soon!" Usopp wailed as he knocked Luffy in the back of the head.

"Help me!" the other end of the snail said, "It's so cold here...Is this the Boss?"

"No, I'm not the Boss," Luffy replied.

"My colleagues are getting cut after another. The samurai is going to kill me!" the snail shouted, "Somebody please help me. I'm on Punk Hazard!"

There was a sound of a sudden slashing and a blood curdling scream from the other end followed by the terrified screams from Usopp and Chopper.

"He got killed!" Usopp shrieked.

"The New World is scary!" Chopper cried.

"Oy...Did he just say samurai?" Nana asked as she shot a look over to Brook and Zoro.

"Ah. That's what they call the swordsmen from the Wano Kingdom," Brook explained.

"But he said Punk Hazard...Not Wano," Franky pointed out.

"If he was using a Baby Transponder Snail," Nana said as she exited the kitchen to look off into the distance, "The signal would only go as far as that island...So he could be there...But didn't he say he was cold?"

"It could also all be an act," Robin added.

"All right! Let's go help the guy!" Luffy exclaimed.

"Were you hearing anything we're saying? There's a chance he's not there! You just want an excuse to go to that island!" Nami seethed.

"Since there's an uncertainty, we shouldn't all go," Sanji said.

"Yosh!" Luffy cheered, "Nana! I'll need the Buzz-7."

"You are not driving that," Nana shot back.

"You are  _not_  going alone," Nami said at the same time.

"I agree with both mellorines," Sanji said, "Someone should go with Luffy and not the random guy with the belly-warmer."

"What are you trying to say?!" Zoro snarled, "I'm going whether you like it or not."

"I'll super go with him," Franky volunteered.

"I'll go too," Nana said.

"Then I'm coming with you!" Sanji added.

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Not all of you guys leave," Usopp cried.

"How about we draw straws again?" Nami asked as she held out a fistful of it, "No complaints, right?"

"Keep in mind the Mini-Merry can only seat four," Franky reminded everyone.

"What a pain…" Zoro sighed, "I'll go even if I don't draw the shortest ones."

"Zoro, can you take my place if I draw it then?!" Chopper pleaded.

Nana pulled out her straw and waited for everyone to take their turn. They all held it up and sized the straws against each other.

"Yes!" Sanji fell on his knees and raised his hands up to the heavens, "Finally! God is smiling down on me."

"I didn't realize you wanted to stay, Sanji," Chopper said.

"Nana! We get to stay together!" Sanji cheered as he held his straw up against Nana's again to show how incredibly long both of theirs was.

Usopp sank to his knees as well but with a completely different attitude than the cook. "Noooooooo," he wailed, "Why am I going?"

"Congratulations. You won!" Franky said, "Along with Zoro and Robin!"

"How is this winning?!" Usopp sputtered, "Nana, trade with me!"

"No trading!" Nami and Sanji snapped at the same time.

* * *

"Yummy, Sanji!" Chopper cheered as he took a bite of a frozen dessert, "It's cooling me down! I thought I was going to melt from this heat."

"Thank Nami-san and Nana for being gracious enough to share their leftovers!" Sanji barked as he refilled Nana's glass with iced tea. He went to the navigator to refill her drink but then noticed that she was looking concerned at the overcast skies. "Nami-san?"

"There's something strange about this island," Nami said with a frown, "Those skies...they look like Arctic Skies."

"No way," Franky laughed as he ate his ice cream, "There's a burning volcano. I'm sure you're just seeing things. It might be from the heat."

"Yohohoho. Maybe we should change perspectives. Pretend you're in a sauna!" Brook suggested and laid down flat on his back.

"Nana, don't you have a fan or cooling system we could use?" Chopper asked.

Nana snapped her fingers at the reindeer's words, "Oh yeah! I do."

"What?! And you didn't think to bring it up?" Chopper demanded.

Nana held out her arms to show that there was barely any sign of sweating. "I'm used to working near boilers and furnace. This is normal to me."

"Hurry up and get your fan," Franky said as he tried to push Pygmy, who was radiating heat, away from him, "I'm super sweating out all my cola."

"Okay okay!" Nana replied as she scurried off to her room. Just as she got to her door, she froze.  _I hear something._

She closed her eyes and tilted her head. There were people coming on the ship. Heavy people with some type of metal equipment. She can hear the clanking sounds but it also sounded somewhat hollow. Then she heard the distinct sound of a low hiss.  _Gas?!_

Nana dug into the pouch on her leg and pulled out the Bubbly Coral that was gifted to her. She quickly pressed it to encase her head.  _Hopefully this will hold out for a bit._

When she got up to the deck, she saw that it was covered in a thick green fog and all her nakamas were unconscious. "Guys!" she gasped and ran towards the closest person, which happened to be Chopper. She checked his pulse and was relieved to see that it was steady. He was also breathing normally along with the others.  _Sleeping gas…?_

She heard the sounds of footsteps and she quickly hid around the corner. A group of men in thick rubber suits and masks, with oxygen tanks strapped to their backs, came walking towards the sleeping pirates.

"Two humans, one cyborg, and two pets," the leader of the group said as he looked around them, "Tie them up!"

Nana was just about to jump out and attack them when the leader said something that made her pause.

"Let's take them to Master."

 _Master?,_  she thought as she went back into her hiding place,  _Maybe I should see who that is…_

She smiled apologetically to no one in particular.  _Sorry guys. Looks like you'll have to sleep for a little bit longer..._


	73. the Biscuit Room

_Those idiots,_  Nana thought with disgust as she nudged Franky's face with her foot and then glanced at a happily dreaming Chopper,  _How could they be sleeping so peacefully during a time like this?_

After the rubber suit clad men had stormed the ship, she had managed to knock a guy out and steal his gear while no one was paying attention. She had tied him up and stowed him away in the farthest corner of the ship. It was lucky the hazmat suits were so big and wide that she had no problem fitting it over her own gear. She mixed in with the crowd and even had a hand in tying the restraints around the cyborg, who had started to drool in his sleep.

The group of men steered the Thousand Sunny to the other side of the island. Unbeknownst to them, Nana studied their movements like a hawk. One unnecessary scratch on the ship and there would've been hell to pay.

She was shocked to find that the other side of the island was covered in snow.  _That explains those clouds Nami was worrying about…_

The invaders then moved the Straw Hats into their indoor facility. Now her nakama were all laying on the floor in the middle of a what looked like to be a factory room as Nana waited for whoever this Master guy was.

"Shurururururu…"

A far away laugh creepily echoed through the hallway and it sent goosebumps up Nana's arms. She grimaced behind the gas mask and waited for him to appear. The laugh became louder and louder and it was all Nana could do to stifle the gasp in her throat when he rounded the corner. The Master wasn't a guy at all. In fact, he was just billowing pink smoke.

"Are these the pirates you've caught?" the smoke asked in a sickenly sweet way, "They all look unique and interesting. They're going to make good test subjects."

 _Test subjects?,_ Nana thought as she subtly studied the areas around her a bit more,  _This isn't a factory...It's a science lab?_

She closed her eyes and tried to listen as best she could inside the rubber suit.  _I can definitely hear machines. They are making something. That is for sure._

"Yes, I thought you would especially like this cyborg," the man standing in front of Nana said.

She immediately snapped to attention and her whole body tensed.  _Don't you dare touch him._

"He is worth testing. You're right. I can't wait!" the Master exclaimed happily, "What a rare find!"

Then the Master's voice turned stern. "I want you to lock them up in a room so they can't escape," he ordered, "I will get to them once I finish with my other test subjects."

Nana's eyes narrowed.  _There are others…_

"Yes, Master," the men all chorused.

"Shurururu," the Master laughed and he turned to walk away, "Just make sure you lock them far away from the Biscuit Room. I don't want any of you to startle the children."

A full blown chill ran down Nana's spine and she felt physically ill.  _There are_ children _here?!_

"Yes, Master," the men replied again and the leader of the group started to shout orders, "You, take the cyborg. You, take the woman. You, take the raccoon."

The last one was directed at Nana and she casually threw Chopper over her shoulder. She also hoisted Pygmy up from around the waist with her other arm.

"Oh. I didn't even realize you were that strong, Belenos," someone said and Nana stiffened. The man slapped Nana on the back, "Good on you."

Nana balanced Chopper on her shoulder and gave a thumbs up sign with her freed hand. The man walked off, dragging Sanji by the foot and Nana let out a small sigh of relief.  _Okay that was close...But what kind of name is Belenos?! What a stupid name. Makes me want to punch him in the face again._

She followed the men's lead and placed Chopper and Pygmy in the center of the room. They left them there and Nana watched as the leader locked the door.

"You two, stand guard here," the leader said and pointed at Nana and a man next to her, "If anyone wakes up in there, just flood the room with another round of sleeping gas."

Nana nodded her head.

"Yes sir," the other man said.

The rest of the group left them behind as Nana stood watch. 10 minutes went by and then suddenly-

_Bang!_

The sound of the door being smashed with an extreme force came from the other side of the wall.

 _Sanji's up,_ Nana thought with a smile and turned to the other guard, who was pulling out a small gas canister that was hanging from his belt loop.

"I'll take that," Nana said.

"What?!" the man gasped at the female voice.

Nana grabbed the canister with one hand while punching the man in the face with her other. He fell backwards on to the wall and slumped down to the floor.

"Finally," Nana sighed. She set the oxygen tank she had been carrying down unto the ground and peeled off the hazmat suit, "I felt like I was walking around in a giant bubble."

_Bang! Bang! Bang!_

Sanji's kicks were merciless.

"Hold your horses, Prince Charming," Nana muttered as she squatted down to the floor to inspect the oxygen tank, "I just found a new toy to play with."

* * *

Sanji glared at the slight dent he had put into the door. They were trapped in a room in god knows where. This inexplicably severed head of a samurai was pestering the bejesus out of them. To put the cherry on top of the shit sundae, Nana was nowhere to be found. "It's no use, Nami-san," Sanji sighed, "This door is unbreakable."

"Stand back!" Franky shouted from the other side of the room. He put his hands together to form an "O" shape and aimed it at the door, "I'm filled up with cola today!"

His whole body began to power up and a brightening light was condensing in between his hands.

"Oy! Oy! Oy! Wait a minute!" Sanji yelled as he scrambled to the side and pulled Nami away as well.

"Is...that…?" Chopper squealed.

"Woof woof!" Pygmy barked and Chopper's eyes sparkled like stars.

"A BEAM?!" Chopper shrieked.

"Franky…." Franky grinned, "Radical Beam!"

_Bachoon!_

Smoke and debris flew everywhere and it was quite awhile before it started to clear away. Suddenly, a shadowy figure came storming in through the smoke. "What the hell, Franky?!"

"Nana?!" the rest of the room gasped as Nana took Franky by the throat and choke slammed him down to the floor. His whole body created a crater on the floor far more intense than the dent Sanji made on the door.

"What...did...we….agree on?" Nana seethed.

 _She's really pissed that he almost killed her,_ Nami, Chopper, and Sanji thought at the same time.

Franky coughed. "That I won't take the first shot of my beam without you present. Sorry, Nana-brat."

"Damn right!" Nana huffed and dusted off her coat and helmet, "There's nothing like the first shot out of a new weapon."

"Sanji-kun," Nami whispered, "If something as trivial as that ticked her off, you're lucky she didn't kill you during your stunt at Fishman Island. She must really love you."

"Yes, I'm a lucky man, Nami-san," Sanji replied stonily.

"If I knew you were on the other side of the door, I wouldn't have done it," Franky admitted.

"Ah don't worry. I heard your power up and dove out of the way," Nana said with a casual wave of her hand.

"Now then," Nana said brightly and turned to the rest of the room. Pygmy jumped up and placed his paws on her shoulder. He licked her entire face and barked happily at the mechanic. She laughed and rubbed his ears. Then looked over his head at her nakama. "By the way, don't worry about Brook. I left him on the ship when I was pretending to be one of the guys. He should be fine but I can't be sure since I was busy looking after you guys. I fully intended to bust you guys out when you woke up but then I saw their oxygen tank had this-"

"Whoa! Hold it!" Nami cried and put her hands on her hips, "Are you telling me you were outside the whole time?!"

Nana nodded. "Yeah. I pretended to be one of them and dragged you guys in here. I did get to see the guy behind this whole operation," she said casually and then scratched her chin, "Although, I use the term 'guy' loosely and KYAH! IS THAT A SEVERED HEAD?!"

She leapt back and pointed a finger at the samurai. Suddenly, she felt Nami grab her by the collar. "Did you throw us in a metal room just so you could test your inventions, you metal freak?!" the navigator demanded.

Nana rolled her eyes and casually pushed Nami's hand away. "Of course not. I threw you guys in here as not to blow my cover. Besides, in here, you would've been safe to sleep off that sleeping gas."

"Who is this monster woman and what gives her the right to take such tone with men?" came a gruff voice.

"Who said that?" Nana asked.

"I did," came the voice and Nana turned to see the severed head of a samurai blinking back up at her.

"AHHHHHH!" Nana screamed and instinctively leapt back. She felt two hands on her back and turned to look at Sanji, who had come up from behind her.

"Shut up and leave her alone," Sanji barked at the severed head, "Or else we're going to leave you here."

The severed head scowled. "I do not make deals with pirates! Just go away and leave me here."

"Is it...talking? Is that head...actually talking?" Nana whispered.

Sanji gave a reassuring squeeze to her shoulders before walking around her towards the head. "You said you wanted to escape with us before you knew we were pirates, didn't you?" he asked the head and picked it up by his weirdly tied hair, "You can't make it by yourself, especially since you're just a head right now. Isn't that right, samurai from the Wano Kingdom?!"

"What?!" the rest of the room gasped.

"Ah," Sanji said, "He's sporting the top knot that is common among samurais from Wano."

Nana frowned.  _How did he know that? I thought Brook said Wano was closed off to the rest of the world…_

Suddenly, she heard footsteps echoing through the halls. "We gotta go guys," she warned, "People are coming towards us."

"We came here because we received an emergency signal from one of your victims, samurai," Sanji said, not taking his attention off the head, "So if anything you're the bad guy here. Not us."

The scowl deepened on the samurai's face. "I don't cut people if it disgraces me."

"Then why are you here?" Sanji pressed.

"Sanji," Nana said as she turned the dial on her wrist in preparation of what was to come.

"I…" the samurai said with great reluctance, "I came here to save my son! For him, I don't mind cutting a thousand men to get him back!"

Nana turned sharply towards the samurai.  _So they_  are  _stealing children..._

"There they are! Get them!"

A bunch of armed, hazmat clad men shouted as they ran towards the Straw Hats. They aimed their weapons and pulled back the safety.

"Idiots," Nana said as she held up her two hands. All the guns flew up into the air and then started to mash together into one giant ball, "Franky?"

"Weapons left!" Franky shouted as he fired his rounds at the group. The men fell to the floor and Nana released the metal ball.

_Thwack!_

It fell on top of them, pinning all of them down.

"Nana, you came in with them, right?" Nami asked and gave Nana a shove forward, "Lead the way."

"Okay," Nana said and ran through the hallway to the left. She activated her Observational Haki and listened for a very specific sound. She rounded another hallway when she heard what she was looking for and her eyes narrowed when she saw a door with a sign painted over it.  _Found it._

"Biscuit Room? Is that the exit?" Chopper asked from behind her.

"Sanji, kick the door down!" Nana ordered as they ran forward.

"Yes, Nana!" Sanji replied dutifully and obeyed her command.

Nana steeled her nerves. However, nothing could prepare her for the scene in front of her. It wasn't a cold, sterile laboratory as she had thought but instead, an enormous nursery that extended across multiple dome like rooms. They were all painted in a cheerful blue with rainbows, smiling suns, and fluffy clouds adorning the walls. Children were running around and playing with each other. What really threw Nana off, though, was the fact that some of these children were the size of buildings.

"What's going on here?" Nami gasped, "Nana...can you explain?"

"No...I can't," Nana whispered with widened eyes, "This is the first time I've been in this room."

"Then why did you bring us here?" Nami hissed.

"What's with this place?" Franky asked.

Nana's eyes darkened as she listened even more intently to the sound she was tracking. It was a sound she had hoped she wouldn't hear and her stomach had dropped when it hit her ears. "Guys, stay here for a second," she said softly, "Pygmy...you come with me."

"Wait, Nana-" Sanji started to object but she ignored him as she walked straight into the other room.

She walked through the children, ignoring their slight astonishment to see her and Pygmy (mostly Pygmy), and then she veered slightly to the left. Then she stopped to stand in front of a small boy, who was holding a crying baby in his arms. She smiled at the child. "Hello, My name is Nana," she said and then nodded her head towards her dog, "And this is my dog, Pygmy."

The child looked nervously between her and the dog. He was slightly taken aback by the sheer size of Pygmy. The dog in question stepped forward and sniffed the child's face. Then he wagged his tail and then began to run around in circles. A delighted look came over the child's face and even the baby stopped to watch the dog.

"He gives rides, you know?" Nana said and the child's eyes lit up.

"I...I can ride him?" the child asked.

Nana nodded. "As long as you tell me your name and where you're from."

"My...name is Benji," the child said, suddenly a little shy, "And I'm from an island called Neri."

"I'm from there too…" another voice piped up. Nana turned to see a handful of children had stepped forward and was petting Pygmy.

"Me too," another child said.

"Ano…" a girl asked nervously, "Big Sister...are you from the outside world?"

Nana looked over at her and smiled. "Yes. I came here with my friends on our ship."

"Then will you help us?!" she asked breathily, "And take us out of here?"

Nana did not reply. Instead, she turned to Benji. "Is it okay if I hold him?" Nana asked and held out her arms.

"Only for a little while," Benji said hesitantly, "He doesn't really like to be held by anyone but me."

"I'll give him back to you, I promise," Nana replied as she cradled the baby, "When was the last time you saw your parents?"

"I haven't seen them in a while…" Benji said sadly but then he gave a brave smile, "But I think I'll be seeing them real soon."

"Oh?"

Benji nodded. "The men who put us on the ship said that we were very sick and that our parents had asked them to make us better. I'm feeling really good so I think I'm not sick anymore, which means I can go home soon!"

"The men...who put you on a ship…" Nana said slowly. Nana took in a deep breath and she smiled at the boy. "Thank you for answering my questions. Would you like to ride Pygmy?"

"I really can?" the boy asked.

Nana nodded and helped the boy climb onto Pygmy's back while still holding the baby with one arm. "Up you go," she said, "Hold tightly to him. He can go pretty fast."

Pygmy sprinted off with the child on his back. He laughed happily while the other kids in the room started to call dibs on their turn. Nana looked down at the baby in her arms. It looked pretty healthy to her but she couldn't be sure.

"Big Sister," the girl pleaded again and tugged at the hem of Nana's duster, "Will you help us?"

"Big Sister, please?"

"Please?"

"Please, Big Sister?"

Nana found herself surrounded by children big and small with puppy dog eyes in every shape and size. Suddenly a grin came over her face and she winked at the girl, who was still holding on to Nana's jacket. "What are Big Sisters for?"

"Really?!" they gasped.

Nana said nothing and with still the baby in her arms, she returned back to the original room to rejoin her group. Her eyes widened at the sight. The boys in the first room were crowded around Franky and fanning over his awesome robotic body while the girls were surrounding Chopper. There were even a couple of kids who were pointing and laughing at Sanji's unusual eyebrows.

"What the hell is going on?!" Nami demanded exasperatedly.

"Wow...you guys are like...kid magnets," Nana said dryly.

"Oy! Children!" the samurai suddenly shouted from the floor, "Has anyone seen Momonosuke? He is my boy!"

A silence fell over the room and then the children all screamed at the sight of the severed head.

"Run! It's so scary!" they cried.

"Wait!" Sanji and Nami yelled after them, "Tell us about this facility-"

"Wait! I'm looking for Momonosuke! Where is he?!" the severed head shouted.

"Shut up! You're freaking everyone out!" Nana seethed as she ran forward and sent him flying like a soccer ball with a hard kick. He bounced off a wall and with sheer luck, he fell right back into Sanji's arm.

The sounds of footsteps approaching reached Nana's ears again and she let out a little shrill whistle. Within seconds, Pygmy was back at her side with a laughing Benji. PYgmy sat down and Benji was sent rolling on the floor. He got up to his feet and beamed back at Nana. She handed the baby over to him. "Did you have fun?" she asked.

"Ah," he said with a nod.

"Good," she said and turned him around. She gave him a gentle shove away from her, "Run along. I have to take care of somethings."

"Oy...Nana? What's gotten into you?" Nami asked, "Did you find out something about this place?"

"Guys," Nana growled with her eyes focused on the door. She reached behind her and pulled out her hammer, "Take the kids and go. I'll stay behind so you guys can get a head start."

"Eh?!" the Straw Hats exclaimed.

"Oy, Nana-brat," Franky said, "We don't even know how we're going to get out of this, much else these-"

"BIG BRO!" Nana shouted as she gripped her hammer tightly into her hand and Franky shot to attention, "We are taking the kids with us."

"Nana, but why?" Nami asked.

"Not now...I'm too angry to explain," Nana said, almost shaking with fury.

The footsteps were getting louder. "Eek! They're coming," Chopper shrieked, "We need to go!"

Nami looked around the room and then suddenly realized that all the kids were looking at them with hopeful and tearful eyes.

"Please save us. Please," they whimpered, "We're not sick anymore so please...take us with you!"

Nami balled her fists at her side and then she nodded. "Alright, you heard Nana!" she barked, "We're taking the kids!"

"We don't even know if they actually need saving!" Sanji protested, "They just said they were sick. This could be a hospital for all we know. We just met them and we don't know the whole situation."

"That's right," Chopper chimed in, "If they're in the middle of a medical treatment, it might not be good for us to take them away!"

The hazmat suit guys came rushing in and the Straw Hats hurriedly moved towards the back of the room.

"Come on! Let's go!" Sanji urged to Nami and Nana.

Nami hesitantly took a step towards her crew but Nana stood her ground. She didn't even look at her crew. Instead, she pointed her hammer at the group of men who were flooding through the doorway. "WHAT," she thundered at them, "GIVES YOU THE GOD DAMN RIGHT TO KIDNAP THESE CHILDREN AND USE THEM AS LAB RATS?!"

Behind her, the entire Straw Hat crew turned to gape at Nana.  _Is this what this facility is?_

Nana charged forward not even giving them a chance to explain themselves. She hit her hammer to their stomachs, jaws, and even oxygen tanks. There were even times where she didn't use her hammer or her glove. She just pummeled them with her fists. "How dare you?! How dare you?!" she screamed with every punch. Her helmet fell off her head. Her hair was flying everywhere as she landed blow after blow. Even after the men were all beaten to a pulp, she didn't stop. She could hear another wave of people coming and she couldn't wait to get her hands on them too. Suddenly, she felt both of her arms get pulled back by the elbow and she looked over to realize it was Franky and Sanji.

"Nami, Chopper, and Pygmy already went ahead with the kids," Sanji said, "You and Franky should go catch up with them. I can take it from here."

"Letting down Armored Franky fans and my Little Sis is not an option for me," Franky grinned.

Nana tore her arms away from their hold and she knelt down to one of the unconscious men. She ripped off his helmet. Blood was coming out of his nose, eyes, and mouth. He was also missing two front teeth.

"Oy, Nana, I think you've done enough to him," Sanji warned but Nana ignored him. She was still just seeing red. She stuck her hand down the neck hole of his hazmat suit and then pulled out a wire with a mini microphone at it's end.

"I have a message for the Master. Give me the Master," she said darkly.

 _The Master?,_ Sanji and Franky thought as they shared a confused look.

There was crackle and then from a speaker tucked inside the suit they heard a laugh. "Shurururu. This is the Master. What is your message?"

"My name is Mizu Nana...but by the end of the day, you'll be calling  _me_  your Master."

 _Crunch_.

And with a sickening stomp of her boot, she broke the transmitter pack and a couple of the man's ribs.


End file.
